A visit to the National Martyrs' Memorial

March is the month full of memories of our historical Liberation War. The historic 7th March speech of Bangabandhu, Operation Searchlight of 25th March and the declaration of independence on 26th March in 1971 are the events of Liberation War that can never be erased from the slate of our mind. National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar is the right place to visit on the occasion of 26th March to pay homage to those heroes who laid down their lives for achieving independent and sovereign Bangladesh.
The National Martyrs' Memorial is located in Savar. It is about 35 km north-west of the capital, Dhaka. The monument was designed by Syed Mainul Hossain. The main structure and the artificial lake and other facilities were completed in 1982. It was inaugurated on 16 December, 1982.  It is constructed with concrete, but made of blood. It stands 150 feet tall, but every martyr that it stands for stands much taller. It is an achievement with measurable dimension but it stands for the immeasurable dimension of the achievement of independence from Pakistan.  
The structure is constituted of seven pairs of triangular-shaped walls or prisms. Though the outermost pair is the shortest in height, it is the widest in span. The inner pairs gradually change their aspect ratio and the innermost pair forms the zenith of the architecture. Each of these seven pairs of walls represents a significant chapter in the history of Bangladesh. Those are- the Language Movement in 1952, the Election of United Front in 1954, the Constitution Movement in 1956, the Education Movement in 1962, the Six-Point Movement in 1966, the Mass Uprising in 1969, and finally the ultimate event of Liberation War in 1971, through which Bangladesh was liberated.
Tanvir Rahman, a banker visiting the place, says, "It is one of the best monuments in the world dedicated to the memory of the martyrs of the Liberation War in 1971. We can never accurately value the monument; it should be the icon for Dhaka as Eiffel is to Paris."
Arifa Zaman, a teacher asserts, "The monument stands as an iconic structure, encapsulating the nation's gratitude towards the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Independence. The National Martyrs' Monument becomes the epicentre of the nation's collective rituals in celebrating nationhood. The visitor is presented with a strong axial visual connection to the monument from the main northern entrance. The tortuous path to the National Monument appears to symbolise the nation's difficult path to independence. As much as it narrates the saga of Bangladesh's journey towards independence, the National Martyrs' Monument narrates a beautifully choreographed architectural story."
How to go
There are two prime ways to get into the Savar Upazila. One is via Bypass-Nabinagar from Uttara zone (Northern side of Dhaka). Another one is Via Gabtoli-Aminbazar, which is commonly known as Dhaka-Aricha highway. A significant number of buses move towards Savar from various bus-stops in Dhaka. These are- D. Link, Hanif Paribahan, Grameen Sheba, BRTC etc. You can catch one to be there.
Overall, it is an amazing place for the locals and tourists to observe and to remember and respect the great heroism and sacrifice of the freedom fighters. One can feel the spirit of nationalism and patriotism by paying a visit to this monument.