A Shaheed Minar falling apart
Just a couple of days ahead of Language Martyrs' Day on February 21, the central Shaheed Minar of Kulaura upazila under Moulvibazar lies in an awful condition.
Visiting the Shaheed Minar a few days ago, this correspondent saw large cracks in the structure while its surroundings remained dirty.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "This Shaheed Minar built in Kulaura municipality in 2002 is now on the verge of collapse due to lack of maintenance amid utter negligence of the authorities concerned. Often cattle roam around on its premises," said Mahfuz Shakil, a local journalist.
People from different areas of the upazila come to the Shaheed Minar to pay respect to the martyrs of 1952 Language Movement on February 21 every year but the authorities seem too forgetful about its maintenance, said locals.
Roksana Rahman, mother of a student at Kulaura Girls' School in the upazila town, said she is afraid to send her daughter to the Shaheed Minar for any programme due to its risky condition.
It is regrettable that garbage is dumped just beside the Shaheed Minar, said Nasir Uddin, a fruit trader in the area.
"People coming to see the Shaheed Minar get upset due to its dilapidated condition and stink from the garbage," said Munem Ahmed, who came to visit the Shaheed Minar from Nomoja village in Kulaura upazila.
Mohammad Ali, a resident of Magura area under Kulaura municipality, said the entrance of the memorial gets flooded even in a moderate shower due to poor drainage facilities around.
"We raised the issue with the local authorities on several occasions but to no avail," he added.
Syed Mahfuz Hamid, founder of Facebook group 'Kulaura problems and prospects', said, "This Shaheed Minar has become so rickety that no repair work will be enough. It needs major renovation or reconstruction."
Contacted, Kulaura Upazila Nirbahi Officer ATM Farhad Chowdhury said they have taken an initiative to repair the Shaheed Minar before February 21.
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