Suhrawardy Udyan
Suhrawardy Udyan (Bengali: সোহরাওয়ার্দী উদ্যান) formerly known as Ramna Race Course ground is a national memorial located in Shahbagh, Dhaka. It is named after Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. Originally it served as the military club of the British soldiers stationed in Dhaka. It was then called the Ramna Race Course and later Ramna Gymkhana. After the end of colonial rule, the place – sometimes referred to as Dhaka Race Course – was used for legal horse racing on Sundays.
| Suhrawardy Udyan | |
|---|---|
Eternal Flame : a monument marks the spot in Suhrawardy Udyan, where Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his historic 7th March Speech on 7 March 1971 | |
| Type | National memorial |
| Location | Shahbagh, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Area | 68 acres |
| Status | always open |
It is also a historical place because Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his 7th March speech here. On December 16, 1971, the Pakistan Army surrendered to the Mukti Bahini and Mitro Bahini in this ground. The erstwhile Hotel Intercontinental, located near the race course ground, was initially designated as the surrender site for the Pakistan Army, but later this ground was selected for the surrender.
It is the resting place of three great national leaders, Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq (1873–1962), Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy (1892–1963) and Khwaja Nazimuddin (1894–1964). Ramna Race Course was renamed after Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. A Mughal structure named the Dhaka Gate was built adjacent to the park area of Suhrawardy Udyan. The gate was built by Mir Jumla II in 1660s.
The Museum of Independence, Dhaka is situated within the park area. The museum depicts the history of the nation since Mughal tenure to independence in 1971. The museum was opened to the public on 25 March 2015, the 45th Independence Day of Bangladesh.