Sohrawardi Uddan

Sohrawardi Uddan, Named after Hussain Shaheed Sohrawardi. Now it’s called the Independence Park of Bangladesh. Sohrawardi Uddan was formerly known as Ramna Race Course and is now a national memorial located in Dhaka. It is the site from where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave his historic speech declaring the struggle for independence, and where the Pakistani forces surrendered after the War of Liberation in 1971. 

Suhrawardi Park is the resting place of three great national leaders, Sher-E-Bangla A K Fazlul Huq, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, and Khwaja Nazimudddin.  The Museum of Independence is situated within the park area. The museum is part of a 67 acre complex.  

Planted deep within the land where the nation realized its true identity, the museum of Independence carries thousands of stories about the birth of Bangladesh. Stories to commemorate. Stories to empathize. Stories to inspire and stories to shake you to the core.

The Museum of Independence consists of a huge open space, centered on the Tower of Light. The Tower of Light is a 50-meter high tower composed of stacked glass panels and is illuminated at night, which creates a grand spectacle.  The museum itself is located underground and happens to be the first underground museum in the whole of Bangladesh, covering an area of 5669 square meters, consisting of two halls, connected by a narrow passageway. The entire underground museum is located underneath the Tower of Light and centered on a fountain, where water falls from the ceiling.

The complex also consists of a multimedia projection theater, an amphitheater, three water pools, and a 155 seated auditorium. A long terracotta mural runs along the entire length of the complex, depicting the struggle for independence, and quotes from Bengali poets from both Bangladesh and West Bengal, India.

The exhibit consists of three hundred historic photographs and one hundred and forty-four glass panels depicting the history of Bangladesh. Copies of local and foreign newspapers showing the different events of the War of Liberation are displayed in the gallery. Although known as the Museum of Independence its exhibits are not restricted to the freedom struggle only.

It also exhibits some photographs from the significant archaeological and historical sites and monuments of Bangladesh. Just North of the Museum of Independence and located on the Northern end of Suhrawardy Park is the Eternal Flame, Sikha Chirantan, symbolizing the eternity of Bangladesh nationalism.

Sikha Chirantan, the eternal flame burns beneath the national flag of Bangladesh with the tower lies its backdrop. The Sikha Chirantan, the eternal flame was inaugurated on 7 March 2007 by Bangladesh Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, Ever since its inauguration, the eternal flame has been visited by dignities all over the world.

There are seating arrangements by the lake to enjoy the beauty of the park. People are always coming here and spend their leisure time sitting on the benches by the lake, even from morning till night. Lots of boys and girls come here in the afternoon to play. Especially boys come here to play football and cricket from the surrounded area.

Suhrawardi Uddan collectively has a lot to say in itself. It is an interesting enriching and a not to miss site on the list while visiting Dhaka city. The grandiose architecture and wonderful presentation of the place itself will create great elation for anyone visiting it and the spectacularly portrayed museum, tower, and waterfall are soothing to the sight and inspirational. Visitors are all flabbergasted and amazed on visiting the Surhawardi Park and it indeed demands more stopovers.