The iconic Projonmo Chattar, the symbolic heart of the 2013 Shahbagh movement in Dhaka, has been demolished, sparking widespread concern.
Local media reported that the Ministry of Housing and Public Works carried out the operation late Sunday night. The structure, located in the Shahbagh area of the capital, was partially dismantled.
One side lay in rubble by morning, drawing curious onlookers who paused to witness the remains of a once-powerful symbol of Bangladesh’s fight for justice. Khalid Mansur, Officer-in-Charge of Shahbagh Police Station, confirmed the ministry’s role.
Speaking to The Dhaka Tribune, he said, “As it is under the ministry’s jurisdiction, they demolished it during the night. I was informed beforehand to ensure no unrest took place. No crowd gathered, and no resistance was observed.”
According to Mansur, a new installation reflecting the recent July protests will be erected in its place.
Another blow to Liberation War Memorials
Projonmo Chattar demolition marks another blow to monuments tied to the 1971 Liberation War. Earlier in April, radicals destroyed the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Dhaka’s Mirpur.
This monument commemorates the genocide committed by the Pakistan Army days before the country’s liberation in December 1971.
The demolition occurred just before Pakistan’s Deputy PM Ishaq Dar visited Dhaka, drawing public outrage. Experts called it a move to appease Pakistan and an insult to national martyrs.
In March, the Liberation War Memorial Mancha mural in Lalmonirhat was removed at the interim government’s instruction.
The mural depicted historic moments, including the Language Movement, the March 7 speech, and the Pakistani surrender.
The Dhaka South City Corporation also renamed roads and buildings, removing the names of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Awami League leaders. Bangabandhu Avenue is now Shaheed Abrar Fahad Avenue.
Since the Yunus-led interim government took charge in August 2024, nearly 1,500 memorials have been reportedly vandalised, burnt, or uprooted across Bangladesh.
The Projonmo Chattar demolition has become the latest in a string of actions that many citizens view as a direct assault on the country’s Liberation War legacy.
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