Live Correspondent: The grave of language movement organiser and Rajshahi University founder Madar Bux has been partly demolished recently by Rajshahi City Corporation, drawing a huge criticism from family members and civil society.

The family and civil society members said the grave of the eminent people like Madar Bux should be preserved while the authorities said that they were unaware about the demolition of the grave of the eminent politician.

Madar Bux, a member of the then East Pakistan Provincial Assembly, died on January 20 in 1967 and was buried in Rajshahi Hetam Khan Graveyard.

However, a portion of Madar Bux’s grave had been demolished recently to build a new boundary of the graveyard.

Visiting on Thursday at the Hetam Khan Graveyard, this correspondent found several graves including that of Madar Bux demolished.

Ahmed Shafiuddin, president of Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik Rajshahi district, said that Madar Bux was an important and respected personality in Rajshahi and the country.

‘Madar Bux was one of the founders of Rajshahi University. Why the wall of the graveyard needed to be built so high is a mystery’, he said, adding that the new boundary wall was being built only to increase the budget money.

Ahmed Shafiuddin said that the city corporation knew that there were preserved graves. ‘Yet, they are demolishing the graves of ancient and famous people in the name of development,’ he said, adding that the name plaques of many of the graves on the south side were missing.

‘Renovations are going on haphazardly without consulting the architect. The matter needs to be investigated’, he claimed.

Saidur Rahman, grandson of Madar Bux and president of Rajshahi Press Club, told New Age that the city corporation had demolished the graveyard of his grandfather instead of preserving.

‘Most of the educational institutions are built by him. That's why Rajshahi is called education city. But there is nothing to say if such activity is carried out in the name of development’, he added.

Saidur Rahman said that Madar Bux was the first elected chairman of Rajshahi Municipality. ‘That municipality has evolved into a city corporation today. Such behavior of that city corporation is unexpected and we are very sad. I want them to preserve my grandfather’s grave’, he added.

RCC chief engineer Md Noor Islam said that he was unaware of the matter and heard the information on Wednesday. ‘We will rebuild the broken part of the grave,’ he said.

Dhaka, 19 January (campuslive24.com)// AZ