Move to dismantle Shaheed Minar in Gaibandha town protested
Gaibandha Nagorik Parishad forms a human chain at Gaibandha Municipality Park yesterday demanding immediate cancellation of the mayor's decision to fill up a portion of the pond and dismantle a Shaheed Minar built in 1957 in the park area.Photo: STAR
Cross section of people including politicians, journalists, lawyers, teachers and students yesterday formed a human chain at Gaibandha Municipality Park, protesting the mayor's move for earth filling a pond and dismantling a Shaheed Minar there. Participants at the programme organised by Gaibandha Nagorik Parishad demanded immediate cancellation of the tender for the purpose. Gaibandha Municipal Park comprising 2.63 acres of land including a .64 decimal pond was established in 1924 with the donation of Gobindalal, the then zaminder (landlord) of Tajhat in Rangpur, speakers said at the programme. The Shaheed Minar was built on the north-west corner of the park in 1957 in memory of the 1952 Language Movement martyrs. The park serves as a good recreation centre for the town dwellers and anglers often come to the pond for fishing. But the present mayor of Gaibandha municipality Shamsul Alam has recently decided to earth fill a portion of the pond and dismantle the Shaheed Minar on the pretext of renovation and remodelling, the speakers said. Calling upon all to protest the municipality authorities' 'anti-people' act, the speakers warned of greater agitation if the mayor fails to cancel the decision to dismantle the Shaheed Minar and fill up the pond immediately. Ahsanul Karim Lachu, convener of Gaibandha Nagorik Parishad, Sirajul Islam Babu, Ariful Islam Babu, freedom fighter Shah Shariful Islam Bablu, Alamgir Kabir Badol, BSD leader Manjurul Alam Mithu, GSM Alamgir, Shah Newaz Khan and Rashedur Rahman Rimon, spoke on the occasion. Asked about the matter, the mayor said, "We have decided to dismantle the Shaheed Minar as it is now in a dilapidated condition. After filling up a portion of the pond, a new Shahhed Minar will be built there." He, however, failed to explain why the pond has to be filled up to make a new Shaheed Minar in the park area.
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