‘Finish four projects soon’

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the Liberation War Affairs Ministry for quick implementation of its four important projects including Swadhinota Stambha Construction (3rd Phase) Project at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan.

“I want these [projects] to be implemented soon,” she said, seeing a PowerPoint presentation on the four initiatives at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The three other projects are – House Construction Project for Insolvent Freedom Fighters, Mujibnagar Independence War Memorial Complex Construction Project and 360 Degree Panorama for Bangladesh Project.

“Measures will have to be taken for proper maintenance of these [memorial structures],” the prime minister said.

Under Swadhinota Stambha Construction (3rd Phase) Project, the March 7 Speech Memorials and December 16 Surrender Memorial will be constructed at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan.

Two sculptures -- an 18-feet sculpture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and another depicting the surrender of Pakistani soldiers -- will be installed at the two memorials.

The implementation of this project worth Tk 265.44 crore started in January 2018 and its progress is at 30 percent.

Under the Housing Construction Project for Insolvent Freedom Fighters, 14,000 one-storey homes will be provided to insolvent freedom fighters as gifts from the Prime Minister ahead of the celebration of birth centenary of Bangabandhu in 2020.

Each 900 square feet house titled ‘Bir Nibash’ will be constructed on four decimals of land at a cost of Tk 15.75 lakh.

The housing construction project will be implemented at an estimated cost of Tk 2,253 crore.

Mujibnagar Independence War Memorial Complex Construction Project will be implemented at Mujibnagar in Meherpur.

The existing memorial complex is now situated on 81.76 acres of land, but acquisition of additional 49.27 acres of land is required for the planned construction.

The Liberation War affairs ministry will implement a project for construction of “Panorama for Bangladesh” depicting scenes from the Liberation War, but the site for the project is yet to be finalised.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque; PM’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury; PM’s Security Affairs Adviser Maj Gen (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique; State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain; former Health Minister AFM Ruhul Haque; PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman; PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan; PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim and Chief Architect of the Department of Architecture ASM Aminur Rahman were present at the function.

Eminent painter Hashem Khan and Dean of Dhaka University’s Fine Arts Faculty Prof Nisar Hossain, who are involved in the first project, were also present, while Liberation War Affairs Secretary In-Charge SM Arifur Rahaman delivered the presentation.