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Begum Rokeya’s ‘Alokvartika’ sculpture has been unveiled at Shalban Indira corner of Rangpur city. However, the sculpture was not unveiled through complicated formalities and no public representative was present.
With the unveiling of this sculpture, Rangpur, a city famous for its sculptural murals, has been enriched by fulfilling long-standing demands. Sculptor Rokeya wrapped in red cloth was introduced by sculptor Anik Raza on the day of Begum Rokeya’s birth and death at 11am on Wednesday.
According to one source, a local madrasa prohibited the unveiling of the sculpture by the city’s corporate authorities. For this reason, no representative of the municipal corporation was present. It was finally inaugurated by the sculptor Anik Reza himself. However, no statement was received from the city’s corporate authorities in this regard.
Although no significant person was seen organizing the unveiling of the small-scale sculpture, there were several teachers from the Begum Rokeya College government and local cultural activists and poets.
Writers Rezaul Karim Mukul, Senior Journalist Liaquat Ali Badal, Poet and Professor Shah Sultan Talukder, Assistant Professor Azahar Ali Dulal, Assistant Professor AIM Musa, Assistant Professor Anima Barman, Associate Professor Sumak Raful Shakil, etc.
Although the Rokeya sculpture was built with funding from the Rangpur City Corporation, none of its officials and public representatives were seen at the opening ceremony. The guests expressed their anger and pain at this.
In this regard, sculptor Anik Reza said: “I have informed the mayor of the city, Mostafizur Rahman, the mayor of the panel, Mahmudur Rahman Titu, and other interested parties to inaugurate the sculpture after its completion.” They allowed me to unveil it. I can’t explain why none of them came to the ceremony.
The illuminated rocking chair jutting out of the exposed stone concrete is named after the sculpture. The sculpture has been built at a cost of Tk 15 lakh from Rangpur City Corporation. Its height is 20 feet from the ground.
Of these, only the rocky concrete outcrop is about 12 feet long. Rokeya’s sculpture, who came out with the power of education to change society, contains some books and sayings written by him, including the year of birth and death.
According to Rasik sources, the Begum Rokeya sculpture construction work was inaugurated during the tenure of the late Sarfuddin Ahmed Jhantu, the last mayor of the city. Then the slow construction came to an abrupt halt. Then there was nothing but a few brick pillars after building a high altar from the ground. The abandoned altar was littered with dust and several festoon posters.
The students, including the locals, were disappointed to see the altar upside down. The demands of various sectors to complete the construction of the sculpture quickly became strong. Finally, after three years of closure, the works were resumed. After the completion of construction work, the sculpture ‘Alokvartika’ was inaugurated on Begum Rokeya day at 11am on Wednesday.
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