Sunamganj Old Circuit House to be a tourist site

SYLHET, June 05: At last, works on a project to make the historic Old Circuit House at Sunamganj district town a tourist site have begun.

Meanwhile, a number of locals demanded to keep things untouched with original shape and structure for preserving the historic site.

The contractor at the beginning of the work, made some unnecessary changes to the costly project, they alleged.

The renowned and eye-catching Assam-type structure with designed tin-shed of the Sunamganj Circuit House had been considered as a historic building for various reasons. In a short trip to the remote township, the Father of the Nation Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had stayed here on November 26 night in 1956.

Veteran personality Sorojini Naidu also stayed here in 1924. The same way many other veteran politicians including first foreign minister Abdus Samad Azad and others had stayed here on many occasions.

Sources informed that alongside some structural changes, a mural of Bangabandhu would be constructed in front of the building.

A beautiful gate alongside some walkways on the premises would be constructed while it would be protected by a boundary wall around. Sitting arrangements would also be established on the premises.

Besides, various aspects of the Liberation War would be erected on the Taka 9.9 million project, officials informed adding most of the things would be kept in their original shapes.

A number of local cultural activists demanded protection of the old trees on the premises. They alleged that for constructing some latrines under the National Sanitation Project some changes were brought in 2017 at the backyard. The then chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Mohammad Sadique had sent a letter to the higher authorities including the Planning Minister for protecting the memorial site of the Liberation War. He mentioned that the occupation army in 1971 set their camp at the Old Circuit House while rebellion students, youths and other freedom fighters raised all-out resistance from all directions.

However, Pakistan forces at one stage used to run operations from it as the main camp during the whole period of the Liberation War.

At the very beginning of the war, the occupation forces fired gunshots on a group of freedom fighters leaving Abul Hossain martyred. The first martyr of the district Abul died at the beginning of the Liberation War.

An auditorium in the town had been named after this valiant fighter. On the other hand, many national leaders had lived at the historic structure time and again during the pre- and post-liberation days.

Besides, the unique natural beauty can easily be enjoyed from its verandah to view the Surma river, Jubilee School field and the vast distant hills of Meghalaya.

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