Citizens, cultural activists, and civil society members will pay tribute to the language martyrs at the Central Shaheed Minar in Chattogram on the occasion of Language Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day after four years.

During a visit on Wednesday, it was observed that the beautification work in the Shaheed Minar compound was ongoing. Fresh paint was being applied to the minar, while workers cleaned the compound and wiped down the stairs with water.

Although the construction of the newly built Shaheed Minar was completed in December 2023, citizens, cultural activists, and civil society members decided not to pay tribute to it, stating that the new minar was not properly visible from the road due to surrounding concrete structures.

They demanded that the authorities take necessary steps to enhance the minar's visibility and widen the stairs for processions.

On Tuesday, Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain told journalists that necessary measures had been taken to reshape the Shaheed Minar compound for better visibility from the road.

"We will pay tribute to this Shaheed Minar on Ekushey February this year," he said, adding, "I have spoken with officials of the Public Works Department (PWD), and they have pledged to reshape the design of the compound according to the demands of citizens and cultural activists."

However, citizens and cultural activists noted that PWD had yet to commence civil work on reshaping the design.

"Although PWD officials promised to reshape the design of the compound, no civil work is evident in this regard," said Rashed Hasan, president of Proma Abritti Sangathan.

"However, as the CCC mayor assured us that this work would be completed as soon as possible, we will pay tribute to the newly built Shaheed Minar on Ekushey February this year," he said.

Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, chairman of Bangladesher Mukti Sangram O Muktijuddho Gobeshona Kendro, said the compound should be reshaped to ensure the Shaheed Minar is properly visible from the road.

Kamrul Taslim Khan, executive engineer of PWD, Chattogram, said while the construction work to widen the stairs had been completed, the final work remained unfinished.

"We were not aware that tribute would be paid to this Shaheed Minar on Ekushey February this year," he added. "We have only been informed about it a week ago."

"However, we will make the height of the Shaheed Minar almost double so that it can be properly visible from the adjacent road," he said.

Mentionable, residents of the port city had been paying tribute to the Central Shaheed Minar on February 21 (Language Martyrs' Day), March 26 (Independence Day), and December 16 (Victory Day) until the PWD dismantled the Shaheed Minar in 2018 to build a new one under a project.

After removing the old Shaheed Minar in 2021, people from all strata have been paying tribute to the makeshift Shaheed Minar erected at Chattogram Municipal Model High School Ground every year.The Central Shaheed Minar, Chattogram Central Public Library, and Muslim Institute Chattogram were located in the same area. The first was on a hill on one side of the road, while the other two were in the same complex on the opposite side.

Following public demands, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs initiated a project to construct a cultural complex in the area in 2018.

The PWD implemented the Tk 281.39 crore project, which involved demolishing the old Muslim Institute, public library, and Shaheed Minar.

An eight-storey building has been built in place of the Muslim Institute, a 15-storey building has replaced the old public library, and a new Shaheed Minar has been constructed under this project to replace the old one.