Moin Hossain Raju

Moin Hossain Raju (; 29 July 1968 – 13 March 1992) was a Bangladeshi student activist and leader of the Bangladesh Students' Union at the University of Dhaka. He was shot and killed on 13 March 1992 while leading a peaceful anti-terrorism demonstration against campus violence at Dhaka University, becoming a symbol of resistance against political violence in Bangladeshi student politics. He is commemorated by the Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture, erected in 1997 near the Teacher-Student Centre on the university campus, which has since become a major focal point for student activism in Bangladesh.

Early life

Moin Hossain Raju was born on 29 July 1968 in Mehendiganj Upazila, Barisal, to Moazzem Hossain and Khadija Begum. He completed his higher secondary education and arrived in Dhaka in 1987 to pursue undergraduate studies at the University of Dhaka, where he was enrolled in the Department of Soil, Water and Environment (also referred to as the Department of Soil Science). He resided in Room 122 of Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall on campus.

Political activism

After arriving at Dhaka University, Raju became active in left-wing student politics, joining the Bangladesh Students' Union (Chhatra Union), the student wing affiliated with the Bangladesh Communist Party. He rose through the organisation's ranks to serve as a member of its Central Committee and as Social Welfare Secretary of both the Bangladesh Students' Union's Dhaka University branch and the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU).

Raju played an active role in the anti-autocracy movement of 1990, which ultimately led to the fall of the Ershad military regime and the restoration of parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Students' Union and a range of other left-wing student organisations observe 13 March annually as "Raju Day," placing wreaths at the memorial sculpture and holding discussions demanding justice for his murder and an end to political violence on campuses.

The sculpture has served as a focal point for student movements and protests for over two decades, including during the 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement and the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement, the latter of which contributed to significant political changes in Bangladesh. The memorial has occasionally been vandalised but has been consistently restored by students and activists who view it as a symbol of resistance against authoritarianism and institutional violence.