Authorities have identified the masked individual involved in the arson attack at Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Arts, but no arrest has been made as of yet.
The incident occurred early Saturday, just before the Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra, a traditional procession held on Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla New Year. CCTV footage showing the suspect setting fire to a sculpture titled "Face of a Fascist" went viral on Sunday, sparking outrage on social media.
Students from the university's Department of Arabic claimed the arsonist was one of their classmates. They alleged he is affiliated with the banned student group Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the Awami League.
The student in question is reportedly from the 2021–22 academic session and previously resided in Masterda Surja Sen Hall. He is said to be a follower of Mazharul Kabir Shayon, the president of the DU unit of BCL.
Police say the public exposure of the suspect’s identity has complicated efforts to detain him.
"Now that his identity is known, he'll try to go into hiding," said Masud Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Ramna Division. "However, our operation to track him and his accomplices is ongoing."
Though DMP Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjad Ali had assured the public of an arrest before Monday morning's New Year procession, the suspect remains at large.
A case was filed at Shahbagh Police Station following the incident. The arson completely destroyed the "Face of a Fascist" motif and partially damaged the "Dove of Peace", both part of DU’s long-standing Pahela Baishakh celebrations.
