The Decline of a National Landmark
Once a revered national landmark honoring three of Bengal’s most influential political figures, the Mausoleum of AK Fazlul Huq, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, and Khwaja Nazimuddin has fallen into disrepair. Located beside Dhaka University, the site that was meant to be a place of reflection and national pride now serves as a refuge for drug dealers, addicts, and the homeless.
Built in 1985 to commemorate these key figures of pre-independence Bengal, the mausoleum has become a symbol of administrative neglect and societal failure. Its once-proud structure is now marred by structural decay and open drug trade, highlighting a deep-seated problem in the region.
Security Lapses and Administrative Neglect
The deterioration of order around the mausoleum escalated after the murder of a Dhaka University student in May. In response, police conducted raids to clear out vagrants and drug users from the nearby Suhrawardy Udyan. However, this action only displaced the issue, with many individuals moving directly into the mausoleum grounds.
A recent inspection revealed a complete lack of security or maintenance staff. Parts of the front boundary wall are missing, and sections lack iron fencing, allowing unrestricted access. Locals attribute the damage to scrap thieves, with some claiming that street kids and vagrants remove the iron bars to sell them.
A Home for the Homeless and a Hub for Drugs
Throughout the day, people can be seen loitering or sleeping on the main platform and around the graves. Some appear under the influence, while others openly use drugs. When questioned, a man in his fifties who was seated on a grave responded bluntly, “Where else can we go? We live here now.”
Multiple sources indicate that the majority of those occupying the site are involved in drug use or distribution. The mausoleum has become a new hub for narcotics, with drugs sold openly near the Dhaka Gate, beneath metro rail pillars, and along surrounding roads. Consumers often use the grounds immediately after purchasing drugs.
The Drug Trade and Its Consequences
Despite being a public space, the mausoleum has become a hotspot for illegal activities. A teenage drug peddler, estimated to be 14 or 15 years old, told a reporter that they used to sell in the park but moved to the mausoleum after being evicted. He pointed to the mausoleum platform when asked where he lived and named his supplier as a man called ‘Nabi.’
This drug network has also led to violence. On June 15, an 18-year-old named Mobarak was stabbed to death near Shishu Park in Shahbagh. His cousin, Rabiul, stated that the killing stemmed from a drug-related dispute with Nabi, the same individual allegedly operating in the mausoleum area.
Police Efforts and Ongoing Challenges
The Shahbagh Police Station has been conducting daily raids and mobile court operations. Recently, they detained three drug dealers and seized over 1 kg of cannabis. One of them was arrested under the Narcotics Control Act. However, the officer-in-charge, Khalid Mansur, admitted that police alone cannot stop the drug trade without coordinated efforts.
Plans are underway for a joint operation with the Department of Narcotics Control and RAB. Additionally, the Public Works Department has been notified to repair the boundary wall around the mausoleum. Despite these efforts, the lack of institutional accountability remains a significant challenge.
The Silent Public Works Department
Despite multiple attempts, the designated official from the Public Works Department, Abul Kalam Azad, could not be reached for comment on the site’s restoration or security fencing. This silence underscores the broader issue of neglect and inaction.
A Heritage Site in Peril
More than just a burial ground, the Mausoleum of the three leaders was intended to serve as a lasting tribute to the vision and contributions of three key architects of Bengal’s political past. Today, its symbolic power is being eroded—both literally and figuratively—by systemic neglect, criminal infiltration, and a lack of institutional accountability.
Unless urgent, coordinated efforts are undertaken, this national monument may soon be remembered not for its historical significance, but for how it was allowed to fall apart. The situation calls for immediate action to restore the site and ensure its preservation for future generations.
