Today, March 13, marks Anti-Terrorism Raju Day.
On this day in 1992, Moin Hossain Raju was shot and killed while protesting terrorism on the campus of Dhaka University.
To keep his memory alive, the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture was erected on the TSC roundabout.
Raju is often referred to as the Prometheus of the campus. Just as Prometheus in Greek mythology stole fire from the gods and brought it to humanity, providing people with technology, knowledge, and the light of civilization, Raju gave his life selflessly to free the university from terrorism.
On this day, TheReport.Live presents a special feature on Raju’s death anniversary.
"Hey, come to Raju!" – This phrase has become widely circulated on social media.
When someone calls out, "Hey, come to Raju," they are referring to the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture located at the crossroads in front of the TSC of Dhaka University.
This sculpture was the epicenter of the July mass uprising that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
But who was Raju, in whose name this sculpture was built? How and when was the sculpture created?
What’s the story behind it? Let’s explore these questions.
Who was Raju?
Sculptures speak – they symbolize courage and provide inspiration in times of struggle.
The Raju Sculpture at Dhaka University is one such iconic symbol, known to all as a monument of resistance, protest, and movement.
The full name of the person in whose memory this sculpture was made was Moin Hossain Raju. He was born on July 29, 1968, in Mehendiganj, Barisal.
His family first lived in Chittagong and later moved to Dhaka. While living in Dhaka, Raju became involved with the Student Union during his school years.
In 1987, he passed his higher secondary exams. Raju was a student of the Department of Soil Science at Dhaka University and lived in room 122 of the main building of Shahidullah Hall.
How Raju stood against terrorism
Raju! – The story of how a living, breathing person became a sculpture is a tale of tragedy, inspiration, and bravery.
In the 1990s, campus life was still marred by the rattling of weapons.
Raju was always vocal against any form of terrorism.
On March 13, 1992, a Friday, Raju had promised his mother that he would come home to their Shyamoli residence for lunch.
But the assassin’s bullet didn’t let him keep that promise.
That day, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) were engaged in gunfire on the Dhaka University campus, causing panic among ordinary students.
In this atmosphere, Raju organized a protest march under the banner of the Democratic Students Unity, demanding an end to terrorism on campus.
The slogans of the march were, "Weapons and education cannot coexist," and "Student community, stand up against terrorism and armed thuggery."
After the march circled the TSC road twice, it passed by the front of Dasa Hall, when terrorists from one faction opened fire on the procession from Hakim Chattar.
Even then, the slogans did not stop. One bullet struck Raju’s head. Raju, who was leading the chants, collapsed on the road.
How the Raju Sculpture was built
To honor the memory of this brave martyr who dreamt of a terror-free campus, a monument was initially erected west of the Shoparjito Shadhinota, the place where Raju was shot.
After his martyrdom, the spot where he was shot was marked by bricks in a circular shape.
Later, to commemorate the supreme sacrifice of Shaheed Moin Hossain Raju, the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture was built at the TSC roundabout of Dhaka University.
The sculptors of this work were Shyamal Chowdhury and his assistant, Gopal Pal.
The funding for the construction and installation came from former Dhaka University teacher Atauddin Khan and Lion Nazrul Islam Khan Badol, president of the Munshiganj-Bikrampur Association.
The sculpture is maintained under the overall supervision of the Bangladesh Student Union.
Building the Raju Sculpture was no easy task. Many obstacles had to be overcome. On September 17, 1997, Dhaka University`s then-Vice Chancellor, A.K. Azad Chowdhury, inaugurated the sculpture. Every year, on March 13, the Bangladesh Student Union observes Anti-Terrorism Raju Day.
The Mythical Bird
Poet Shamsur Rahman wrote a poem titled "Purano Pakhir Gaan" (Song of the Mythical Bird) in memory of Shaheed Moin Hossain Raju.
Raju, in the truest sense, was like a mythical bird, who “…no matter how much the flames of hatred try to burn to ashes, rises again and again from the fire, like a bird from ancient myths."
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