July Martyr's Monuments
The July Martyr's Monuments (Bengali: জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ) are memorial monuments under construction across all 64 districts of Bangladesh with a uniform design, commemorating the July massacre. The Government of Bangladesh decided to construct these monuments to mark the anniversary of the July Revolution.
Background
[edit]On 24 June 2025, the government announced a month-long program to celebrate the anniversary of the July Revolution. The program included a project to build July Martyrs Memorial Monuments in every district of Bangladesh.[1] On 26 June 2025, a 37-member national committee was formed via gazette notification. This committee planned to construct one monument in each district dedicated to the uprising. The government approved the proposed monument design by artist Abdul Halim Chanchal, endorsed by the Liberation War Affairs Adviser Faruque-e-Azam on 9 July 2025. Following approval, the project formally commenced, and the Cabinet Division directed Deputy Commissioners to identify construction sites.[2] Earlier, on 7 July 2025, the Kurigram District administration decided to build the monument beside the Victory Memorial at College Moor.[3] On 8 July 2025, authorities finalized that the monument in Bandarban would be built beside the Shaheed Minar.[4] The same day, the Mirza Azam Square at Shekhervita in Jamalpur District was demolished for the monument.[5] Additionally, the Chittagong District administration selected the United Nations Park at Panchlaish in the city as the monument site.[6] The Natore District administration set 14 July 2025 as the construction deadline.[7] On 9 July 2025, a meeting of the Kushtia District administration decided to build the monument beside Abrar Fahad Stadium in the city.[8] On 11 July 2025, government adviser Asif Mahmud announced that the monument would be built beside the national highway near Comilla University.[9]
Construction
[edit]Approximately ৳1400000 (US$12,000) was allocated for each of the 64 monuments. Construction began across the country on 9 July 2025. This included inauguration at Muktir Sopan Chattar in Sirajganj.[10] The same day, work commenced at the Victory Memorial Chattar in Pouro Park, Gaibandha.[11] In Faridpur, the Awami League office building constructed on government land towards Hasibul Hasan Lablu Road was demolished to begin monument construction.[12] On 10 July 2025, work started beside the Central Shaheed Minar at Muktir Moor in Naogaon.[13] On 11 July 2025, the Deputy Commissioner of Narayanganj District inaugurated construction at the Victory Memorial Chattar in Hajiganj.[14] Construction in Narayanganj was completed before 14 July.[15] On 13 July 2025, the day before its construction was set to begin, the remnants of the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman mural at Bakultala in Jashore were bulldozed.[16] On 14 July 2025, the foundation stone for the monument in Jashore was laid.[17] The same day, construction began at Government College Moor in Meherpur,[18] within Government College premises in Khagrachhari,[19] in front of the old Dak Bungalow at Katiya in Satkhira,[20] near Moktarpara Bridge in Netrokona,[21] near Dhaka Road Bridge in Magura,[22] at Panchlaish in Chittagong[23] and on Alekhar Char Bishwa Road in Comilla.[24] The completed monument in Narayanganj District was inaugurated the same day, bearing the names of 21 people killed in the July Massacre.[25] National Committee Chairman Mostofa Sarwar Farooki assured that construction of all 64 monuments would be completed by 5 August 2025.[26]
Architectural Style
[edit]According to the design, the steel memorial monument placed on a concrete platform is 18 feet (5.5 m) tall and 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter. The pillar has internal lighting to illuminate the engraved inscriptions. It includes a 1.5-foot (0.46 m) wide pedestal.[2]
List
[edit]| Sl. | District | Location | Inauguration Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Narayanganj | 23°38′06″N 90°30′42″E / 23.6349674°N 90.5117454°E | 14 July 2025 |
References
[edit]- ^ "১ জুলাই থেকে ৫ আগস্ট সরকারের বিশেষ কর্মসূচি" [Special government program from 1 July to 5 August]. Jugantor (in Bengali). 25 June 2025.
- ^ a b Rubel, Tofazzal Hossain (10 July 2025). "সব জেলায় জুলাই স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ" [July Memorial Monument in all districts]. Ajker Patrika (in Bengali).
- ^ Karim, Fazlul (7 July 2025). "কুড়িগ্রামে "জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতি স্তম্ভ" নির্মাণে আলোচনা সভা অনুষ্ঠিত" [Discussion meeting held in Kurigram on construction of "July Martyrs Memorial Monument"]. Nagorik TV (in Bengali).
- ^ "বান্দরবানে শহীদ মিনারের পাশে নির্মিত হচ্ছে জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ" [July Martyrs Memorial Monument to be built beside Shaheed Minar in Bandarban]. United News of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 8 July 2025.
- ^ "জামালপুরে গুঁড়িয়ে দেওয়া হলো 'বিজয় চত্বর', হবে জুলাই স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ" ['Victory Square' demolished in Jamalpur, July Memorial Monument to be built]. Ajker Patrika (in Bengali). 8 July 2025.
- ^ "জুলাই স্মৃতি পার্কে নির্মিত হবে জুলাই স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ" [July Memorial Monument to be built at July Smriti Park]. Dainik Azadi (in Bengali). 9 July 2025.
- ^ "নাটোরে ছাত্র-জনতার গণঅভ্যুত্থান দিবসসমূহ উদযাপনে প্রস্তুতি সভা" [Preparation meeting held in Natore to observe student-public uprising days]. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (in Bengali). 8 July 2025.
- ^ "জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ ও স্ট্যাম্প আগামী প্রজন্মকে গণঅভ্যুত্থানের কথা স্মরণ করাবে: ডিসি তৌফিকুর রহমান" [July Martyrs Memorial Monument and stamps will remind future generations of the mass uprising: DC Taufiqur Rahman]. Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). 11 July 2025.
- ^ Hossain, Mohammad Jobair (11 July 2025). "ঢাকা-চট্টগ্রাম মহাসড়কে জুলাই স্মৃতি স্তম্ভ স্থাপনের ঘোষণা" [Announcement of installing July Memorial Monument on Dhaka-Chittagong highway]. Janakantha.
- ^ "জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ নির্মাণকাজ উদ্বোধন" [Construction work of July Martyrs Memorial Monument inaugurated]. Bangladesh Pratidin. 10 July 2025.
- ^ "গাইবান্ধায় জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ নির্মাণ শুরু" [Construction of July Martyrs Memorial Monument begins in Gaibandha]. Protidiner Sangbad (in Bengali). 10 July 2025.
- ^ "July Martyrs' Memorial Monument being built on Awami League office ruins in Faridpur". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "নওগাঁয় 'জুলাই স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ' নির্মাণ কাজের উদ্বোধন" [Inauguration of 'July Memorial Monument' construction work in Naogaon]. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (in Bengali). 10 July 2025.
- ^ "নারায়ণগঞ্জে 'জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ' নির্মাণকাজের উদ্বোধন" [Inauguration of 'July Martyrs Memorial Monument' construction in Narayanganj]. Dhaka Post (in Bengali). 11 July 2025.
- ^ "First July Martyr's monument to be opened tomorrow in Narayanganj". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "যশোরে বঙ্গবন্ধুর ম্যুরাল ভেঙে নির্মিত হচ্ছে 'জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিসৌধ'" [‘July Martyrs Memorial Monument’ to be built after demolishing Bangabandhu's mural in Jashore]. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 13 July 2025.
- ^ "যশোরে 'জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ'-এর ভিত্তিপ্রস্তর স্থাপন" [Foundation stone laid for 'July Martyrs Memorial Monument' in Jashore]. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). 14 July 2025.
- ^ "মেহেরপুরে 'জুলাই শহিদ স্মৃতি স্তম্ভ' নির্মাণের উদ্বোধন" [Inauguration of 'July Martyrs Memorial Monument' construction in Meherpur]. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (in Bengali). 14 July 2025.
- ^ "খাগড়াছড়িতে জুলাই শহিদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভের ভিত্তিপ্রস্তর স্থাপন" [Foundation stone laid for July Martyrs Memorial Monument in Khagrachhari]. Janakantha (in Bengali). 14 July 2025.
- ^ "সাতক্ষীরায় 'জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ' এর ভিত্তিপ্রস্তর স্থাপন" [Foundation stone laid for 'July Martyrs Memorial Monument' in Satkhira]. Dhaka Mail (in Bengali). 14 July 2025.
- ^ Chowdhury, Faisal (14 July 2025). "নেত্রকোণায় 'জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ' নির্মাণ কাজের উদ্বোধন" [Inauguration of 'July Martyrs Memorial Monument' construction work in Netrokona]. Probasher Diganta (in Bengali).
- ^ Joy, Liton Ghosh (14 July 2025). "মাগুরায় জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভের ভিত্তিপ্রস্তর স্থাপন" [Foundation stone laid for July Martyrs Memorial Monument in Magura]. Shadhin Alo (in Bengali).
- ^ "চট্টগ্রামে জুলাই স্মৃতিস্তম্ভের ভিত্তিপ্রস্তর স্থাপন" [Foundation stone laid for July Martyrs' Monument in Chittagong]. Dhaka Post (in Bengali). 2025-07-14. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "কুমিল্লায় জুলাই শহীদদের স্মরণে নির্মিত হচ্ছে 'জুলাই স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ'" [‘July Memorial Monument’ being built in Comilla commemorating July martyrs]. Samakal (in Bengali). 14 July 2025.
- ^ "নারায়ণগঞ্জে নির্মিত হলো প্রথম 'জুলাই শহীদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভ'" [First 'July Martyrs Memorial Monument' constructed in Narayanganj]. Dhaka Post (in Bengali). 14 July 2025.
- ^ "আজ থেকে শুরু হচ্ছে 'জুলাই শহিদ স্মৃতিস্তম্ভের' কাজ: সংস্কৃতি উপদেষ্টা" [Work on 'July Martyrs Memorial Monument' begins today: Cultural Adviser]. Channel 24. 14 July 2025.