National Martyrs' Memorial

{{Short description|National monument located in Savar, Bangladesh}}

{{Infobox building

|name = National Martyrs' Memorial

| native_name = জাতীয় স্মৃতিসৌধ

| native_name_lang = bn

|status = Complete

|image = 5.জাতীয় স্মৃতিসৌধ.jpg

|image_size = 350px

|location = Savar, Bangladesh

|iso_region =

|coordinates = {{coord|23|54|40.4|N|90|15|17.4|E|region:BD_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

|start_date = 1978

|completion_date = 1982

|architect = Syed Mainul Hossain

|map_caption =

|building_type = Public monument

|antenna_spire =

|roof = {{convert|150|ft|m|0}}

|structural_engineer=

|main_contractor = Concord Group

}}

The National Martyrs' Memorial ({{langx|bn|জাতীয় স্মৃতিসৌধ|translit=Jātīẏô Smr̥tisôudhô}}) is a national monument in Bangladesh. It was built to honour and remember those who died during the Bangladesh Liberation War (as well as the genocide) in 1971, which resulted in Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan. The monument is located in Savar, about 35 km northwest of the capital city, Dhaka.{{cite book |last1=Amin |first1=Md Shahidul |last2=Islam |first2=M Zakiul |year=2012 |chapter=National Martyrs' Memorial |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=National_Martyrs%E2%80%99_Memorial |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=Asiatic Society of Bangladesh |access-date=11 November 2015 |archive-date=21 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921190926/http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=National_Martyrs%E2%80%99_Memorial |url-status=live}} It was designed by Syed Mainul Hossain and built by Concord Group.{{Cite news |date=2021-03-20 |title=Explained: What is the significance of the places on PM Modi's Bangladesh itinerary? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/pm-narendra-modi-bangladesh-itinerary-explained-7235564/ |access-date=2021-03-20 |work=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=20 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320133806/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/pm-narendra-modi-bangladesh-itinerary-explained-7235564/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |date=2016-12-13 |title=The rising spirit |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/special-feature/the-rising-spirit-1329121 |access-date=2021-03-20 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |archive-date=18 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118080751/https://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/special-feature/the-rising-spirit-1329121 |url-status=live}}

History

image:Mainul Hossen (1).JPG standing by the National Martyrs' Memorial (which he designed)]]

Plans for the monument were initiated in 1976. Following the selection of Savar as the main site (about 35 km northwest of the capital city, Dhaka), a nationwide design competition was held in June 1978. Following evaluation of the 57 submissions, Syed Mainul Hossain's design was chosen.

Architecture

The architecture consists of seven pairs of triangular-shaped walls or prisms, the outermost pair being the shortest while also being the widest in span; the inner pairs gradually change their aspect ratio and the innermost pair thus forms the peak point of the architecture.{{Cite news |date=2016-12-21 |title=A monument of Bangladesh and the world |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/perspective/monument-bangladesh-and-the-world-1332946 |access-date=2021-03-20 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |archive-date=20 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920171815/https://www.thedailystar.net/perspective/monument-bangladesh-and-the-world-1332946 |url-status=live}} Each of these seven pairs of walls represents a significant chapter in the history of Bangladesh, namely the 1952 Bengali language movement, the 1954 provincial election victory of the United Front, the 1956 Constitution Movement, the 1962 East Pakistan Education movement, the 1966 six point movement, the 1969 mass uprising, and the climactic event of the 1971 Liberation War (through which Bangladesh became an independent sovereign state).