A concrete structure at Shahbagh, widely known on social media as “Projonmo Chattar,” was demolished in the early hours of Sunday, sparking confusion over which government authority ordered the demolition.
While Dhaka South City Corporation officials confirmed they carried out the demolition as part of plans to establish July monuments across 64 districts, multiple government departments have denied issuing such orders or being aware of the demolition.
The incident has raised questions about the establishment's true identity, with several activists from the 2013 Gonojagoron Moncho movement clarifying that the demolished structure was not actually the “Projonmo Chattar” as commonly believed.
The structure, originally built in 2008 by former Awami League MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon for commercial advertising purposes, had remained largely abandoned for years before its controversial demolition.
Who demolished it?
According to the Dhaka South City Corporation and Shahbagh police, the Public Works Ministry and the Dhaka South City Corporation jointly demolished the advertising structure to replace this place with a new one, as it had been abandoned for a long time.
Md Shahjahan Mia, administrator of the Dhaka South City Corporation, told Dhaka Tribune that they demolished it, but they are not the ones behind the plan itself.
He said that the Ministry of Housing and Public Works is behind the plans. He noted that it was demolished under the idea of establishing July monuments in 64 districts.
Khalid Mansur, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh police station, told Dhaka Tribune that he had been informed about the demolition verbally over the phone and that there had been no written orders or instructions.
However, the above-mentioned departments of the government did not confirm that they had demolished the sculpture, making the matter unclear.
Both the personal secretary of the Housing and Public Works adviser and the public relations officer of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works confirmed to Dhaka Tribune that they are not even aware that a sculpture has been demolished at Shahbagh, indicating that they have not issued any such orders.
Additionally, an executive engineer (Staff officer, Reserve) from the Chief Engineer's Office of the Public Works Department confirmed to Dhaka Tribune that their department is not involved in the demolition. He further said that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs might be involved.
However, a senior information officer at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs confirmed to Dhaka Tribune that the ministry is not connected to the demolition.
Misconception over the sculpture or 'Projonmo Chattar'
Though several netizens labelled this structure as the sculpture named “Projonmo Chattar,” which was built in relation to the spirit of Gonojagoron Moncho, several persons involved in the movement in 2013 and journalists working at that time told Dhaka Tribune that the sculpture that has been demolished was not “Projonmo Chattar.”
A key leader of Gonojagoron Moncho told Dhaka Tribune anonymously that the whole Shahbagh area, from Shahbagh police station to the foot overbridge beside the current metro station, fell under the area of Projonmo Chattar.
For several years before its demolition, this structure remained in a largely abandoned state. The Ministry of Public Works decided to demolish it and construct a July monument in its place, according to the DSCC administrator.
According to DSCC sources, in 2008, former Awami League MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon constructed this structure after obtaining permission from the city corporation.
He initially received allocation for that space for commercial purposes, specifically for advertising, and built the structure there at his own expense.
After its construction, the digital screen installed there created loud noise and excessive lighting that caused problems for people, prompting authorities from Dhaka University and the National Museum to request its removal.
Later, the city corporation dismantled the digital screen from the site. Following this, Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon filed a case seeking compensation. According to an official, that case is still ongoing.