First Shaheed Minar of Bangladesh

The first Shaheed Minar was built on February 23, 1952. To commemorate the martyrs of February 21-22, 1952, students of Dhaka Medical took the decision of building a memorial for the language martyrs at midnight on February 22. Students started building the Minar in the afternoon of February 23 and working throughout the night, they finished it at dawn. Writing “Shaheed Smritistombho” on a paper, it was attached to the Minar. It was inaugurated by the father of Shafiur Rahman the following morning on February 24. However, on February 26, the Pakistani Police and Army demolished it. 

The first Shaheed Minar is thought to be designed by Dr. Badrul Alam, who was a 24-year-old boy at that time. For his contribution to the Language Movement, he was posthumously awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2014. The whole nation is owed to Dr. Abdul Hafiz, who took a photograph on 24 February 1952 and restored it to its previous quality. He got the photograph while he was flipping through an old textbook.

The second Shaheed Minar was built two years later (February 21, 1954) after the destruction of the first monument. However, the original Shaheed Minar was rebuilt in 1972. It is located very close to the Dhaka Medical College and adjacent to the Mathematics department of Dhaka University. It is half a kilometer away from Shahbag and a quarter-mile away from Chankharpul. 

Rayer Bazar Matha

It is sad to see that matha (মঠ), which is a sacred place for Hindu religious people, located at Rayer Bazar is on the verge of being extinct. Shops have been made surrounding the religious site, causing the lower part of the abbey to be covered. Another reason for which the shrine is facing the threat of being destroyed is tares, which are grown on the outside wall. If authorities related to archaeology do not take proper steps, it will be utterly destroyed in the near future. In order to protect this infrastructure, we are paying attention to the people who are working in the related field. Their timely decision can save a monastery from being extinct. 

Shakrain Festival

Shakrain is a century-old traditional festival in Bangladesh. From the Mughal period to the present day, this festival has been celebrating here every year. Despite becoming one of the oldest annual festivals, very few people in our country know about it. However, the celebration of this event is limited only to the older part of Dhaka city. 

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Shakrain festival is celebrated on the last day of the Bengali month, Poush. Thus, the other name of ‘Shakrain’ festival is “Poush Sankranti”. On the last day of Poush, the sun moves towards its southward from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer. Therefore, it is also known as “Makar Sankranti”. 

However, this festival has got countrywide popularity as ‘Kite festival’. On this occasion, people belong to different ages- children, youngsters, middle-aged- fly kites of different colors and shapes from the rooftop. Though kite is flown from the beginning of the day, it becomes more serious in the afternoon, thus leading the kite flying competition to take the form of kite fighting. Participants who join this competition often brag about how many kites of others they have cut down.

Shakrain festival becomes more colorful with the setting of the sun. Fireworks, lanterns (paper balloons) and flame-eating (also called fire-breathing) are also arranged on the rooftop to entertain people of all ages. Fireworks and flame-breathers’ skill of manipulating fire will make you thrill. Apart from these, laser lightings, music and dance parties are also arranged by the young people of the community.

Shakrain is a non-communal festival because people from different social statuses and religions celebrate it. It connects people irrespective of their social status and religion. That is why, it is called the symbol of brotherhood, unity and happiness.