1971 Gallamari memorial in khulna

Fund crisis halts construction work

Fund crisis has stopped unfinished works of Gallamari memorial (Smrity Shoudha) in Krishnagar near Khulna University where Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators used as killing ground during the War of Independence in 1971 and killed at least 1,400 people here.
Thousands of people of all walks of life pay homage to martyrs of liberation war laying floral wreaths at the memorial on the occasion of the Victory Day on December 16 every year.
The decision to construct the memorial was taken at a meeting held on May 22 in 2008 at the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and Khulna Zila Parishad was directed to perform responsibilities required to construct the memorial on three acres of land at Gallamari.
Former adviser to a caretaker government Md Anwarul Iqbal laid the foundation stone of the memorial on December 30 in 2008 and construction work began on November 20 in 2009 under the supervision of Khulna Zila Parishad. Md Amirul Islam of LGRD head office in Dhaka is the main designer of Gallamari memorial.
Howlader Md Rakibul Bari, chief executive officer (CEO) of Khulna Zila Parishad said The Independent that the memorial was built under supervision of Khulna Zila Parishad in 2011 at a cost of Taka 2.16 crore. The then caretaker government allocated Tk 2 crore to begin construction work of the memorial while Khulna Zila Parishad spent Tk 16 lakh from its own fund for the purpose.
According to the project was submitted for construction of boundary wall, parking yard, an approach road, an artificial fountain, guest room and quarters for security guards, a flower garden, a restaurant, footpaths around the memorial and electrification of entire area. But nothing has so far been done in this regard Rakibul Bari added.
CEO of Khulna Zila Parishad Bari further said they wrote an official letter  on March 29 in 2011 to the Ministry of LGRD asking for more allocation of Taka 8 crore making the memorial a full fledged one with significant look.
Administrator of Khulna Zila Parishad Sheikh Harunur Rashid said that the LGRD ministry forwarded the letter to the ministry of Liberation Affairs. But file relating to the letter is still gathering dust in the Liberation Affairs Ministry as it has not yet been sent to the Finance Ministry.
Convener of Nagarik Samaj, Khulna Advocate AFM Moshin urged the government to look into this matter attaching top priority. Allocation of fund as sought for is urgently needed for implementation of this project in memory of martyred freedom fighters and intellectuals, he said.
Meanwhile, the memorial area has now become a safe haven for drug addicts and wayward youths, alleged veteran freedom fighter Sheikh Abdul Quiyum.
Administrator of Zila Parishad, Khulna Sheikh Harunur Rashid said there is no separate allocation of fund to bear cost for maintaining the memorial. Even, Khulna Zila Parishad is not authorised to appoint any one to look after the memorial, he added.

1971 Gallamari memorial in khulna

Fund crisis halts construction work

Fund crisis has stopped unfinished works of Gallamari memorial (Smrity Shoudha) in Krishnagar near Khulna University where Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators used as killing ground during the War of Independence in 1971 and killed at least 1,400 people here. Thousands of people of all walks of life pay homage to martyrs of liberation war laying floral wreaths at the memorial on the occasion of the Victory Day on December 16 every year. The decision to construct the memorial was taken at a meeting held on May 22 in 2008 at the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and Khulna Zila Parishad was directed to perform responsibilities required to construct the memorial on three acres of land at Gallamari. Former adviser to a caretaker government Md Anwarul Iqbal laid the foundation stone of the memorial on December 30 in 2008 and construction work began on November 20 in 2009 under the supervision of Khulna Zila Parishad. Md Amirul Islam of LGRD head office in Dhaka is the main designer of Gallamari memorial. Howlader Md Rakibul Bari, chief executive officer (CEO) of Khulna Zila Parishad said The Independent that the memorial was built under supervision of Khulna Zila Parishad in 2011 at a cost of Taka 2.16 crore. The then caretaker government allocated Tk 2 crore to begin construction work of the memorial while Khulna Zila Parishad spent Tk 16 lakh from its own fund for the purpose. According to the project was submitted for construction of boundary wall, parking yard, an approach road, an artificial fountain, guest room and quarters for security guards, a flower garden, a restaurant, footpaths around the memorial and electrification of entire area. But nothing has so far been done in this regard Rakibul Bari added. CEO of Khulna Zila Parishad Bari further said they wrote an official letter on March 29 in 2011 to the Ministry of LGRD asking for more allocation of Taka 8 crore making the memorial a full fledged one with significant look. Administrator of Khulna Zila Parishad Sheikh Harunur Rashid said that the LGRD ministry forwarded the letter to the ministry of Liberation Affairs. But file relating to the letter is still gathering dust in the Liberation Affairs Ministry as it has not yet been sent to the Finance Ministry. Convener of Nagarik Samaj, Khulna Advocate AFM Moshin urged the government to look into this matter attaching top priority. Allocation of fund as sought for is urgently needed for implementation of this project in memory of martyred freedom fighters and intellectuals, he said. Meanwhile, the memorial area has now become a safe haven for drug addicts and wayward youths, alleged veteran freedom fighter Sheikh Abdul Quiyum. Administrator of Zila Parishad, Khulna Sheikh Harunur Rashid said there is no separate allocation of fund to bear cost for maintaining the memorial. Even, Khulna Zila Parishad is not authorised to appoint any one to look after the memorial, he added.