Time seems to have stood still for nearly six years in Dhaka's Motijheel as the iconic Rajuk Tower clock, once a special attraction of the capital's commercial hub, remains inoperative due to mechanical woes. Even the two hands of the clock have disappeared.

Much like Big Ben is inseparable from the essence of London, Rajuk's Tower Clock is a nostalgic symbol of Dhaka's identity, having marked the passage of time for nearly seven decades.

Today, its silent presence evokes a sense of longing and nostalgia.

Hazi Mohamad Azim, who runs a money exchange company in Dilkusha area, said, "When I was six, I would visit the stadium area with my father, only to see the big tower clock on the top of Rajuk building. It was an exciting thing to watch in my childhood -- a symbol of the right time."

Sadly, in recent years, the clock has completely stopped, he said.

Despite the formation of a committee in 2018, the authorities concerned are still undecided on whether to repair it or invest in a new one. The latest plan involves transforming the current mechanical system clock into a digital one.

The architectural landmark was installed in the former DIT building (Dhaka Improvement Trust) in 1956.

As per Rajuk's engineering department, many parts of the aging clock are no longer procurable. Continuous repairs have proven futile, especially due to the deterioration of its crucial parts such as the clock's main mechanical timing wheel.

In 2018, a committee, comprising the chief engineer (project & design), director (administration), director (estate & lands), and superintendent engineer (electrical), was formed to provide insight in this regard.

ASM Raihanul Ferdous, the convener of the committee and chief engineer (project and design) of Rajuk, said, "We are planning to transform the current mechanical system clock into a digital one while retaining the original design."