Published : 26 Sep 2026, 12:15 PM
Updated : 26 Sep 2026, 12:16 PM
The government has moved to install water fountains instead of the planned sculptures at two historic sites in Suhrawardy Udyan marking Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s March 7 speech and the surrender of Pakistani forces in 1971.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs also proposed changes to the content of a planned “holographic 3D” presentation of the March 7 speech.
The changes are outlined as part of a “rescoping and repurposing” of the project in an Aug 6 progress report by the ministry.
The project, titled “Construction of the Independence Monument at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka”, began in 2018 and is scheduled for completion in June 2027.
It originally included plans for two sculptures at the sites associated with the March 7 speech and the surrender of Pakistani forces on Dec 16, 1971.
Work stalled after the fall of the Awami League-led government on Aug 5, 2024, while the sites where the sculptures were being built were also vandalised.
In March last year, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus announced that the sculptures would not be built.
The BNP-led government has now moved to replace them with water fountains.
What the Documents Say
According to ministry documents, the project’s third phase, or first revised phase, has an estimated cost of Tk 3.97 billion.
As of June 2026, financial progress stood at 75.91 percent, while physical progress had reached 94 percent.
The ministry’s progress report says the project design will be revised to install water fountains instead of the planned sculptures at the two historic sites.
It also proposes changes to the content of the “holographic 3D” presentation of the March 7 speech.
A senior official involved in implementing the project, however, raised questions about the proposed changes.
“Let these proposals go to ECNEC first. Then we will see how they are implemented,” the official told bdnews24.com.
“It is not that simple. Not every design can be changed. This is a national issue and cannot simply be implemented at will.”
The official noted that the two sites were directly linked to the history of the Liberation War.
“If the plans for these two sites are changed, an important question is how far the project’s original purpose will remain intact.”
Officials Pass On Questions
Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan refused to be drawn on the fountain plan, referring bdnews24.com to officials responsible for the project.
Additional Secretary Hasna Jahan Khanam, who is serving as the ministry’s acting secretary, also declined to discuss the matter and referred questions to Additional Secretary Shahjahan Mia.
Shahjahan, who oversees the ministry’s Planning and Development Division, in turn referred bdnews24.com to Deputy Secretary Poly Kar.
Poly’s signature appears on the document setting out the proposed changes. She confirmed that the signature was hers but said she did not have permission to speak to the media.
Attempts to reach Project Director Pranab Kumar Saha were unsuccessful. He did not answer repeated calls and could not be found at his office in Suhrawardy Udyan during visits on several days.
The sites associated with the March 7 speech and the Pakistani forces’ surrender are in the northwestern corner of Suhrawardy Udyan, a short distance from the Chobir Haat entrance.
A visit on Wednesday evening found the areas earmarked for the sculptures enclosed by corrugated metal sheets, with some structures under construction inside.
