An alliance set in stone

The Chattogram Zila Parishad has installed a new sculpture in Sitakunda as a tribute to martyred Freedom Fighters and members of Indian allied forces.

The sculpture, named Mrityunjoyee Mitra, commemorates a front battle against the Pakistan army that took place in Sitakunda between December 12 and December 16 of 1971, during the Liberation War.

Located in the terrace of Sitakunda's Chandranath hill, the sculpture was inaugurated this Monday by Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Public Works Engr Mosharraf Hossain.

"Over 55 members of Indian friendly forces and over a hundred Freedom Fighters embraced martyrdom in the battle to free Sitakunda," Lawmaker from Sitakunda's Chattogram-4 Didarul Alam said.

"The martyred Indian fighters were crealmated at the terrace of Chandranath hill. It's fitting that the zila parishad decided to found a tributary sculpture here," he added.

Describing the theme of the sculpture, MA Salam, chairman of Chattogram Zila Parishad, told The Daily Star, "The sculpture depicts a gun-slinging Freedom Fighter standing with an Indian soldier. It symbolises the camaraderie between the two forces during the front battle to free Sitakunda of during the Liberation War."

The sculpture also features a burning flame in the background, as well as the map of Bangladesh, he added. There's also an element of black in the sculpture, symbolising mourning.

Contacted, Firoj Hossain Mollah, officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Police Station, said police officials have been deployed to ensure the secuirty of the sculpture.

Zila parishad chairman MA Salam said while the main theme of the sculpture was designed by sculptor Shubhashish Das, he came up with its idea.

A total of Tk 32 lakh was spent to build the sculpture, he said.