London Bangla Press Club handed over a check of Tk 35 lakh to “Sylhet Shaheed Smriti Udyan”.

The London Bangla Press Club is a partner in establishing ‘Sylhet Shaheed Smriti Udyan’ at Sylhet Cadet College-adjacent slaughterhouse. 35 lakh taka has been collected with the help of general members and life members of the club. A check (symbolic) of Tk 35 lakh was handed over at a function organized by the London Bangla Press Club on Sunday afternoon, April 21st. This money will soon be explained to the Sylhet Shaheed Memorial Garden Authority. Ahmed Us Samad Chowdhury JP, one of the advisors of the Sylhet Martyrs Memorial Park Management Committee, accepted the symbolic check at the event. Out of this 35 lakh taka, 11 thousand pounds was donated by the president of Conservative Friends of Bangladesh UK, prominent businessman Mukim Ahmed. Under the chairmanship of London Bangla Press Club President Muhammad Zubair and moderated by General Secretary Taisir Mahmud, President of Conservative Friends of Bangladesh UK Mukim Ahmad, one of the advisors of Sylhet Shaheed Memorial Garden Management Committee Ahmad Us Samad Chowdhury JP, recently former President of London Bangla Press Club Mohammad Emdadul spoke at the event. Haque Chowdhury, Founder President Mohib Chowdhury, Founder Secretary Nazrul Islam Basan, Life Member of Press Club and Past President of UKBCCI Bajlur Rashid MBE, Life Member and Past President of Caterers Association Pasha Khandkar MBE, Life Member and CEO of Work Permit Cloud Barrister Lutfur Rahman and Life Member And Brent Council’s former Mayor Councilor Parvez Ahmed.

Emdadul Haque Chowdhury, the recent past president of the club and head of the fundraising committee, read out the names of the funders, general members and life members. He is the founder of Shaheed Smriti Udyan construction project. Referring to Zia Uddin Ahmad, they started a movement. After 52 years, Sylhet marked the slaughter ground. Shahid Smriti Udyan was built.

They want to work in the same way in other parts of the country. With everyone’s cooperation, there will be a research library here. There will be a museum on a small scale. Mukim Ahmad said, I feel very fortunate to be involved in this historic work. This is a unique event. Because of which I remember the liberation war.

Ahmad Us Samad Chowdhury JP said, I have visited this garden several times. As its architectural design is beautiful, it also has stunning views all around it. It has already caught everyone’s attention. I am happy to represent Press Club and Shaheed Smriti Udyan at the same time.

President of London Bangla Press Club, Muhammad Zubair said, our club members always support various humanitarian initiatives. We have delivered about 8 lakh taka for the journalists who were in danger due to the last terrible flood in Sylhet. This money is delivered through the Sylhet Press Club. However, it is a privilege and honor to join the Press Club in a historical project like Shaheed Smriti Udyan.

General Secretary Taisir Mahmood expressed his deep gratitude to those who contributed money to this 35 lakh rupees fund. He said, it is a pleasure for us to involve the London Bangla Press Club in the Independence Martyrs Memorial Garden. Through this cooperation, we formed a bridge with Shaheed Smriti Udyon.

Executive members of London Bangla Press Club, general members, print and electronic media journalists were present in the event. It should be noted that the work of establishing the Freedom Martyrs Memorial Garden at the Salutikar slaughterhouse behind the Sylhet Cadet College started on 25th September 2022 and was inaugurated on 4th March 2023 after the completion of the construction work. The establishment of this project was led by the freedom fighter Colonel (retd.) MA Salam Birpratik and the freedom fighter Dr. Zia Uddin. During the liberation war in 1971, the Pakistani invasion forces captured the freedom fighters and their relatives from different areas and brutally killed them in this slaughterhouse adjacent to the Cadet College. ‘Freedom Martyrs Memorial Garden’ has been established in this slaughter ground. Among the many unknown martyrs who were buried there during the war, 66 separate memorials have been constructed. Work is going on to identify the names of the remaining martyrs.