The first Shaheed Minar was not the permanent monument standing today. It was a temporary structure built overnight on 23 February 1952 by students of Dhaka Medical College, and police demolished it within days.
Built
23 February 1952
Built by
Students of Dhaka Medical College
Location
Dhaka Medical College grounds area
Demolished
Within days (date disputed)
After the shootings of 21 and 22 February, students of Dhaka Medical College and other activists built a temporary structure overnight on 23 February. It carried a hand-written sign referring to a memorial, with flowers placed beside it.
The act was quick, spontaneous and cultural in form: it was raised without any official order or budget.
The temporary monument did not last. Police demolished it within days and cleared the area.
Sources give different dates. The Bangladesh Tourism Board describes it as demolished on 24 February 1952, while Banglapedia’s account of the Language Movement gives 26 February 1952. This guide does not present either as a single settled fact.
The demand for a memorial did not disappear after the demolition; rebuilding it became part of a national movement. Work on the permanent monument began in 1957 and was completed in 1963.
The Central Shaheed Minar standing today is the successor to that first, temporary structure.
Information checked: 3 November 2026. Access conditions, opening hours, fares and nearby opening arrangements can change — confirm the latest details before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
On 23 February 1952, immediately after the shootings of 21 and 22 February, students of Dhaka Medical College built it.
Police demolished it within days. The exact date is disputed: some accounts give 24 February 1952, others 26 February 1952.
No. The temporary structure did not survive. Today’s monument comes from the permanent design of 1957–1963 and the 1983 expansion.
Related pages
Trusted sources