Fund crisis stops construction of '71 martyrs' memorial

Freedom fighters of Rajapur upazila of the district had started building a memorial on a badhyabhumi (killing ground) in Bagri Bazar area in 2006, but have not been able to complete it due to shortage of funds.

Then Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Jasim Uddin took the step with the help of the freedom fighters to build the memorial on the bank of the Jangalia river to keep alive the memory of the martyrs who were brutally killed at the spot in 1971, said commander of Rajapur Upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad Md Shah Alam Nannu.

"We donated for the construction according to our ability and completed half of it. We also contacted the local administration several times for some funds but have not received any reply as yet," he added. 

"We want to build the memorial to remind the new generation about the valiant struggle of the freedom fighters," Nannu said.

"It is unfortunate that the badhyabhumi is in a neglected state, but no one bothers about it," said freedom fighter Md Nur Islam.

"Recently, I gave a commitment to the freedom fighters that I will allocate funds to complete construction of the memorial," said Chairman of Rajapur Upazila Parishad Md Moniruzzaman.