The permanent design of the Central Shaheed Minar was made by the artist-architect Hamidur Rahman, with sculptural collaboration by Novera Ahmed. In his design the monument is not only a memorial but also an artwork.
Role
Artist and architect
Key work
Design of the Central Shaheed Minar
Collaborator
Novera Ahmed (sculpture)
Built
1957–1963
Hamidur Rahman studied art in Paris and, on returning, imagined the memorial as a single, integrated work in which architecture, sculpture and painting function together.
His original plan included murals and a coloured background alongside the tall white structure, aiming to create a complete environment rather than an isolated object.
Construction began and was then halted under martial law and political upheaval; the structure was eventually completed in 1963 under a modified plan. Not every element of the original design was realised.
After 1971 the extensive original murals were not restored either, so what visitors see today is mainly the architectural form.
He shaped the monument so that a visitor does not simply look at a sculpture but walks through a feeling. That approach influenced cultural architecture in Bengal for decades afterwards.
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
The permanent design was made by the artist-architect Hamidur Rahman, with sculptural collaboration by Novera Ahmed.
No. Martial law and a changed plan meant parts of the original design, especially the murals, were never built, and they were not restored after 1971.
A Bangladeshi artist and architect who conceived the Shaheed Minar as an integrated work of art.
Related pages
Trusted sources