The government is set to construct a July Memorial Monument at Osmani Udyan in Dhaka to commemorate the July uprising.

According to a Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) official, the Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) adviser visited Osmani Udyan on November 19 last year and expressed the government's intent to build the memorial.

DSCC will implement the project, which will be fully funded by the government.

As per the approved design, the centrepiece of the memorial will be a 90-foot-high bronze pillar, featuring engraved names of the July martyrs, built on a circular platform. Surrounding the base will be semi-circular sculptures depicting key moments from the British era, 1952 Language Movement, 1971 Liberation War, and the 2024 uprising.

At the park's entrance, there will be a gate shaped like numbers "24", symbolising last year's event. The site will also feature pedestrian walkways, an epitaph listing the martyrs' names, and extensive landscaping.

Dr Md Zillur Rahman, chief executive officer of DSCC, said, "There are many monuments in various parks across Dhaka, but Osmani Udyan has none. That's why we chose this location."

He said due to its proximity to the secretariat, city corporation, and other key institutions, Osmani Udyan is an ideal spot to draw public attention to the memorial.

A DSCC official confirmed that the monument's design has been finalised, and a tender has been issued, scheduled to be opened on May 18.

"We'll need about two weeks to complete the evaluation, and construction will start shortly afterward," he said.

The project is expected to be completed within six months, from June to December, though efforts will be made to finish it earlier, he added.

Meanwhile, the broader modernisation of Osmani Udyan, originally set for completion in 2018, has faced repeated delays. The project stalled for nearly two years after the original contractor, Builders Limited, had its contract terminated in 2022 over alleged breaches.

A new contractor was appointed in September 2023, and after missing five deadlines, the current deadline is set for June 2025. Around 98 percent of the work is now complete, according to DSCC officials.

The long-delayed project includes the construction of boundary grills, entry gates on the north and south sides, walkways (including links from the Secretariat to Nagar Bhaban), a library, food court, drainage systems, large jetties at the lakes, an indoor games zone, and parking facilities.

Osmani Udyan, one of Dhaka's key green spaces, features numerous rare trees and plants, two small lakes, sand islands, sculptures, and an auditorium.