Aparajeyo Bangla

Aparajeyo Bangla
Unvanquished Bengal

Bengali: অপরাজেয় বাংলা
Year	1973 (1973)-1979
Type	Sculpture
Material	Reinforced concrete
Subject	Fighters of the Bangladesh Liberation War
Dimensions	3.4 m (11 ft)
Location	Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Coordinates	23.733621°N 90.392766°E / 23.733621; 90.392766

Aparajeyo Bangla (Bengali language: অপরাজেয় বাংলা ) is one of the most well known sculptures dedicated to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. It is located in the campus of Dhaka University, just in front to the Faculty of Arts Building. In Bengali, the phrase means "Unvanquished Bengal". The sculpture work was started at the end of 1973 based on sculptor Abdullah Khaled’s design and superintendence of the DUCSU Authority. The Dainik Bangla news reporter Shaleah Chowdhury came to visit the sculpture and wrote an article about it. The article illuminated the people of Bangladesh, so the sculptor is known all over the world. Before Aparajeyo Bangla there was another 3 feet long sculpture, then Dackshu Authority broke down the sculpture and started to work on Aparajeyo Bangla project. In August 1975 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was murdered so the Dackshu Authority stopped the Aparajeyo Bangla project. In January 1979 the Dackshu Authority again started the project and in December 1979 the project work was done.

Historical Significance

After the war, the DUCSU committee proposed the sculpture to commemorate the glory of liberation. In Sayed Abdullah Khalid’s sculpture there are 3 statues. In the centre is a statue of a farmer on whose shoulder is a rifle and in whose hand is a grenade, the statue represents the general people of Bangladesh. On the left side there is a lady in whose hand is a first-aid box to indicate that she is a nurse, and in the right side there is a student wearing only a pair of pants and holding a rifle in his hand, to represent youth. For the design of sculpture the lady model was Hasina Ahamed who was a housewife and the farmer model was Badrul Alam Banu who was a student of the art department and the student model was Sayed Hamid Maksud, who was another student of University of Dhaka.

Sculpture

The sculpture is built of reinforced concrete with a 4 inch coating, to a height of up to 11 feet. The sculpture was refabricated after inscribing on the base. The sculpture coating was worked under Sahiddullah Associates and the sculpture base was designed by architect Rabioul Hossian.

Documentary about the sculpture

In 2011 a documentary film about the sculpture was released to mark the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh independence, directed by Saiful Wadud Helal, and produced by Shafiul Wadud. The film presents the background of the 1971 war, and sheds light on attempts by religious fanatics to destroy the structure.