‘Eight Pillars Against Aggression’ Inaugurated at Palashi in Memory of BUET Student Shaheed Abrar Fahad
An installation titled ‘Eight Pillars Against Aggression’ has been inaugurated in memory of BUET student Shaheed Abrar Fahad. The unveiling ceremony took place on Tuesday (October 7) at the Palashi roundabout, adjacent to BUET.
According to the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), the eight pillars symbolize eight core values — sovereignty, democracy, national defense, communal harmony, economic self-reliance, protection of local industries, agriculture, rivers, forests and ports, cultural freedom, and human dignity.
Speaking at the event, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Advisor to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, said that “the significance lies not in the structure itself, but in the principles engraved on it.” He emphasized that true independence of this deltaic land can only be achieved through the realization of these ideals.
Criticizing the previous fascist regime, he noted that despite spending thousands of crores of taka on monuments and projects to sustain fascism, any initiative today supporting anti-fascist ideals faces political conspiracies. He mentioned that the Eight Pillars Against Aggression were built at a cost of only Tk 39.59 lakh.
Md. Rezaul Maksud Zahidi, Secretary of the Local Government Division, stated that the government plans to promote Abrar Fahad’s legacy across households nationwide.
DSCC Administrator Md. Shahjahan Mia remarked that “Abrar Fahad is not just a person, but a spirit and an ideal.” He added that the seed Abrar sowed in 2019 has grown into a towering tree by July 2024, and that the monument was built by DSCC under the guidance of the local government advisor following a proposal from the Abrar Fahad Memorial Council.
Also present at the event were Md. Mahfuz Alam, Advisor to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Prof. Dr. Abdul Hasib Chowdhury, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of BUET, Akhtar Hossain, Member Secretary of the National Citizen Party, along with Abrar’s father Md. Barkat Ullah and brother Abrar Faiyaz.
