Page 149 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

146 ART AND CRAFTS

The memorial Smriti Amlan (Unfading Memories) was planned by the architect
Rajiuddin Ahmed and built at Bhatiyari of Sitakundu upazila in Chittagong. The
names of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the organizers and martyrs of the
War of Liberation from Bhatiyari union are carved on it.
The sculpture titled Durjoy Bangla (Invincible Bangla) was built in Sirajgonj. The
sculpture by Khondaker Aminul Karim Dulal is 30 ft. high. It represents the sacrifice
of 30 lakh martyrs. The sculpture shows a man holding a rifle, a woman with a flag
inscribed with the map of Bangladesh in her hand and a child holding a harpoon
prepared to combat the enemy. The notable sculpture of Khulna Division is Anushilan
(Training) set up at the Jessore Cantonment. It was constructed by Bimanesh
Bhattacharya in 1972. Moreover, Chetana Ekattar (Inspiration ’71) was built at the
Kushtia Police Line and Muktabangla (Liberated Bangla) at the Islamic University.
Yunus from Kushtia built Chetana Ekattar to uphold the contribution of the Kushtia
based police force to the War of Liberation. The sculpture named Muktabangla at the
Islamic University was designed by Rashid Ahmed. The seven members of the
Mujibnagar cabinet are symbolized by seven pillars with bayonets on them. The
sculpture was inaugurated in 2001.
Rasha, Alak Roy and Anwar Jahan are remarkable for their distinctive sculptures.
Rasha and Anwar Jahan have used wood extensively. Anwar Jahan has created a
number of sculptures at his home in Rankin Street. He has also executed quite a few
small artworks on the mass killing by the occupying forces. An 18 inch brass-sculpture
of a kneeling youth is one of his outstanding works. The youth with his eyes blind
folded is bent to one side, killed by the bullets of the Pakistani forces, he represents
hundreds of thousands of martyrs. Alak Roy has installed the sculpture Shadinatar
Manchitra (The Map of Independence) near the Bangladesh Military Academy in
Chittagong. It is built on an area of 410 × 240 sq.ft. Straight west on the road to the
memorial, the map of Bangladesh is made of green grass on a 40 × 30 sq.ft. base.
Seven sculptures of the 7 Birshresthas (foremost among the braves) stand on the green
map with heads held high in pride. The pillars of the sculptures are 6 to 14 ft. high.
Roots of the banyan tree and rocks are arranged on the green court yard on either side.
Roots of the banyan tree which symbolize antiquity and stability indicate that our
independence has stemmed from the War of Liberation. At the west of the base, on the
map of the country demarked with marble stones are the 11 sectors of the Liberation
War and the names of each of the sector commander’s are also written there. In the
north-western side of the base, the word ‘Bir’ (hero) is carved in white marble on
which the names of the 578 gallantry award winning freedom fighters are listed. The
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diversity and developed technique used in this sculpture has made it a unique creation
of the history of the War of Liberation.
Our architects as well as our sculptors have also made considerable progress in
building monuments based on the War of Liberation. Among them the important ones
are- Jatiya Smriti Shoudha (National Memorial) in Savar, Rayerbazaar Baddhabhumi
(Rayerbazar Mass Killing Ground), Rajarbagh Shaheed Smritishoudha (Rajarbagh
Martyrs Memorial), Mujibnagar Smritishoudha (Mujibnagar Memorial), Smriti