RAIPURA, NARSINGDI, June 2: A beautifully designed mural titled "Banglar Eagle" has been inaugurated in Raipura Upazila of Narsingdi in memory of Flight Lieutenant Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman, a valiant hero of the Liberation War.
The mural, built beside the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Matuirnagar (formerly Ramnagar) area under Musapur Union, was inaugurated on Tuesday morning by BNP Science and Technology Affairs Assistant Secretary and Narsingdi-5 MP Engineer Ashraf Uddin Bakul.
Narsingdi Deputy Commissioner Israt Jahan Keya, Superintendent of Police Abdullah Al Faruk, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Masud Rana, Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Sujan Chandra Sarker, Raipura Circle ASP Bayezid Bin Monsur, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Munmun Pal, Raipura Police Station OC Mojibur Rahman, local public representatives, political leaders, journalists and administration officials were present at the inauguration.
Officials said a memorial mural of Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman was originally constructed in 2016 by the Narsingdi district administration in the same area along the Dhaka-Sylhet highway adjacent to the Raipura upazila road. However, in January this year, the structure was removed from its original location under the Dhaka-Sylhet corridor road development project as it fell on the right-of-way of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD).
A video showing the demolition of the structure using an excavator had earlier gone viral on social media, sparking public discussion. Later, compensation funds were handed over to the upazila administration.
Subsequently, the local administration constructed a larger and modern redesigned mural titled "Banglar Eagle" near the highway at a new site.
Sculptor Oli Mahmud said the memorial features a trifold black-framed structure. One panel displays the portrait of Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman, another carries his biography, while the third is left open to represent the open sky. A triangular central structure showcases terracotta reliefs depicting scenes from the Liberation War.
He added that hanging columns include directional signage for Matuirnagar Village and the name of the sculpture 'Banglar Eagle'. At the top, a replica of the T-33 fighter aircraft flown by Matiur Rahman has been installed, symbolising his historic sacrifice.
