Authorities have started removing an unfinished sculpture built in the name of Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman in Jhenaidah, saying it neither resembled the decorated war hero nor met aesthetic standards, while also posing a road safety risk.
Officials said the sculpture, whose foundation stone was laid in 2019, would be replaced with a properly designed sculpture based on Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman’s authentic likeness at a more suitable location.
The dismantling work is being carried out by the Jhenaidah Zila Parishad after the issue was discussed several times at meetings of the district development coordination committee.
According to the district administration, the foundation stone of the proposed Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman Square was laid on 26 March, 2019, under an initiative of the Jhenaidah Municipality.
The project was inaugurated by the then mayor Saidul Karim Mintu and then deputy commissioner Saroj Kumar Nath.
Construction, however, stopped after only partial work had been completed during the previous Awami League government’s tenure, leaving the structure abandoned for years.
Local residents alleged that the installation did not resemble Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman and instead appeared to be an irregular stone-like structure.
They also said the unfinished site gradually turned into a dumping ground.
Cultural activist Abu Sayeed said the national hero deserved a monument that accurately reflected his image.
“It was never clear what had actually been built in his name. The sculpture lacked artistic value and bore no resemblance to Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman’s known appearance,” he said.
Long-distance bus driver Mizanur Rahman said the sculpture had been erected at the intersection of the Dhaka-Jhenaidah and Jashore-Kushtia highways, creating visibility problems for motorists.
“The six-to-seven-foot-high pedestal blocked the view of oncoming traffic from the opposite side, increasing the risk of accidents. Such a sculpture should have been built at a more appropriate location,” he said.
Jhenaidah Municipality’s acting Executive Engineer Rashed Ali Khan said the project was undertaken in 2019 with an estimated cost of Tk 32 lakh.
He said work began after Tk 11 lakh had been released, but construction was later halted for reasons that remain unclear. The project file is no longer available in the municipality’s engineering department, he added.
District administration and municipality officials said the project remained incomplete during the previous government’s tenure.
Several officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the work was suspended midway because the sculpture lacked aesthetic quality.
Zila Parishad Administrator MA Majid said installing an unattractive sculpture in the name of a national hero amounted to disrespect.
“Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman is a source of pride for the nation and for the people of Jhenaidah. A sculpture based on his authentic image should have been built from the beginning,” he said.
Majid also alleged that the structure had been constructed without proper planning at a busy highway intersection, creating safety hazards for motorists.
Former freedom fighter commander Kamaluzzaman said reports circulating on social media claiming that Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman’s sculpture was being demolished were misleading.
“To my knowledge, there was never a proper sculpture of Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman at the site. Had such a monument existed, local freedom fighters would certainly have known about it,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Md Noman Hossain said the administration could not confirm that the unfinished sculpture represented Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman.
“There was no aesthetically designed sculpture there. The structure did not resemble Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman’s actual image and had become surrounded by garbage. Moreover, its location at a major road intersection posed a safety risk,” he said.
He added that the decision to remove the structure and replace it with a properly designed sculpture had been taken earlier by the district development coordination committee.
The deputy commissioner said the administration has initiated steps to install a new monument based on Birsreshtha Hamidur Rahman’s authentic image at a suitable location. A final decision on the project is expected on Sunday.
