Freedom Fighter Memorial Block Kurigram

Freedom Fighter Memorial Block (Freedom Fighter Memorial Block) has been constructed in Ghoshpara of Kurigram city in memory of the martyrs in the barbaric attack by the Pakistani invaders in Kurigram during the Liberation War in 1971 . After Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic 7th March speech, the people of Kurigram along with the whole of Bangladesh became excited to build resistance against the Pakistani forces. In view of that, on March 31, a joint force was formed with the local police, Ansar, students and EPRs of Kurigram. Several freedom fighters were martyred in the face-to-face firing of the Pakistani forces with the freedom fighters. Later, when the Pakistani forces and the Razakars left Kurigram to occupy Lalmonirhat, the freedom fighters ordered the people of Kurigram to go to a safe shelter.

Pakistani forces left Lalmonirhat and Rangpur to attack Kurigram again. Pak invading forces entered Kurigram almost unopposed and opened fire on the then Jail Incharge of Kurigram Sub Jail Sheikh Hedayet Ullah along with four prison guards near the present circuit house. Four prison guards, Lal Mohammad, Ansar Ali, Sajjad Hossain and Zahir Uddin were martyred. Later, Kurigram's local freedom fighter and solidarity executive Harunur Rashid Lal arranged the burial of the martyrs with the help of his comrades. Four prison guards are buried on the east side of the main prison wall behind the prison barracks and the in-charge Sheikh Hedayet Ullah is buried at the west end of the prison. The mausoleum bearing the names of these four martyrs and the list of the names of other freedom fighters who were martyred in Kurigram district are on the Shaheed Muktijoddha memorial plaque.

Kurigram can be reached by buses like Nabil, Haque Special, Hanif, Hasan Enterprise, Tanjila and Ena from Asadgate, Kalyanpur and Gabtali in the capital Dhaka. The fare will be Tk 950 to 1400 depending on the bus. Again, you can go directly to Kurigram by taking the Kurigram Express or Rangpur Express train from Kamalapur railway station. The ticket price of these trains is Tk 640-2,197 depending on the class. One can visit Shaheed Muktijoddha Smriti Phal located at a distance of only 1 km from zero point of Kurigram city.

There are several residential hotels of different quality near Ghoshpara and Central Bus Terminal in Kurigram city. Among the residential hotels are Hotel Arnab Palace, Hotel DK, Hotel Smriti, Hotel Nivedika and Hotel Mehdi.

The food at Nanna Biryani or Asia Hotel located at Shapla Mor in Kurigram is quite popular. Sidal Bharta and Bairati fish from the Teesta river are famous dishes of Kurigram.

Feature Image: Rashedul Islam