The two monuments look different and carry different histories. The Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka commemorates those who died in the 1952 Language Movement; the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar commemorates those who died in the 1971 Liberation War.
Central Shaheed Minar
1952 Language Movement · Dhaka
National Martyrs’ Memorial
1971 Liberation War · Savar
Savar design
Syed Mainul Hossain
Common mix-up
Treating the two as one monument
The Central Shaheed Minar commemorates those who died in 1952 demanding dignity for the Bengali language, and it stands in the Dhaka Medical College and University of Dhaka area.
The National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar commemorates those who died in the 1971 Liberation War. It stands at Savar, north-west of Dhaka, beside the Dhaka–Aricha highway, and was designed by Syed Mainul Hossain.
The Savar memorial is composed of several triangular structures set in a broad, green landscape, and reaching it requires a road journey out of the city.
The Central Shaheed Minar sits inside the city centre in an open plaza, reachable on foot or by a short ride.
Both are known as “sriti soudho” (memorial), both receive flowers, and both are national focal points of remembrance, so international visitors easily merge them.
The distinction is one of period and subject: the Language Movement (1952) and the Liberation War (1971) are different historical chapters.
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
Those who died in the 1971 Liberation War. It was designed by Syed Mainul Hossain.
None. It is the memorial to those who died in the 1952 Language Movement.
The Central Shaheed Minar is in central Dhaka; the National Martyrs’ Memorial is outside the city at Savar.
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