UNB

What was once a revered national landmark honouring three of Bengal’s most influential political figures has now become a sanctuary for drug dealers, addicts and the homeless.

The Mausoleum of the three leaders -- dedicated to AK Fazlul Huq, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Khwaja Nazimuddin -- stands in quiet neglect beside Dhaka University, its symbolic gravitas now lost amid open drug trade and structural decay.

Built in 1985 to commemorate these stalwarts of pre-independence Bengal, the mausoleum was meant to serve as a site of reflection and national pride. Today, it tells a different story -- one of administrative indifference, lawlessness and societal failures.

Security Lapses

The collapse of order around the mausoleum worsened following the murder of Dhaka University student Shammo on May 13.

In a subsequent crackdown, police launched raids to clear vagrants and drug users from the adjacent Suhrawardy Udyan. That campaign, however, merely displaced the problem: many of the evicted people moved straight into the nearby mausoleum grounds.

A recent on-site inspection revealed a complete absence of security or maintenance staff. A large section of the front boundary wall is missing and several portions lack iron fencing, allowing unrestricted entry. The entire wall facing Dhaka Gate has disappeared.

Locals blame scrap thieves for the damage. “Street kids and vagrants have been removing the iron bars to sell them,” said a nearby footpath vendor, requesting anonymity out of fear.

Shelter for the Homeless, Hub for Drugs

Throughout the day, people can be seen loitering or sleeping on the main platform and around the graves. Some are visibly under the influence, others are openly using drugs. When asked, a man in his fifties who was seated on a grave responded bluntly, “Where else can we go? We live here now.”

Multiple sources said the majority of people occupying the site are involved in drug use or distribution.

Flourishing Open Drug Market

With Suhrawardy Udyan now off-limits, the mausoleum has become a new hub for narcotics. Witnesses said drugs are sold openly near the Dhaka Gate, beneath metro rail pillars and along surrounding roads. Consumers often use the mausoleum grounds immediately after purchasing drugs.

Although the Public Works Department officially oversees the site, no permanent security or caretaking staff are posted. On Thursday (July 17), a team from Shahbagh Police Station carried out a brief raid around 5:30pm.

Several people were detained and addicts removed—but within minutes, the dealers were back and business resumed as usual.

A teenage drug peddler, looked to be around 14 or 15, told UNB, “We used to sell in the park. After getting kicked out, we now sell here.”

Asked where he lives, he pointed directly to the mausoleum platform. He named his supplier as a man called ‘Nabi’.

Murder Linked to Drug Network

On June 15, an 18-year-old named Mobarak was stabbed to death near Shishu Park in Shahbagh. His cousin, Rabiul, said the killing stemmed from a drug-related dispute with Nabi, the same person allegedly operating in the mausoleum area.

Police Admit Challenges

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Shahbagh Police Station Khalid Mansur told UNB, “We are conducting daily raids and mobile court operations. Just last night (Thursday), we detained three drug dealers and seized over 1 kg of cannabis. One of them has been arrested under the Narcotics Control Act.”

He mentioned the limitations of police action alone: “But without a coordinated initiative, this drug trade cannot be stopped. We are planning a joint operation soon with the Department of Narcotics Control and RAB. We've also notified the Public Works Department to repair the boundary wall around the mausoleum. We’re doing our part, and we've repeatedly urged them to step up as well.”

Public Works Department Silent

Despite several attempts, UNB was unable to reach Abul Kalam Azad, the designated official from the Public Works Department, for comment on the site’s restoration or security fencing.

A Heritage Site in Peril

More than just a burial ground, the Mausoleum of the three leaders was meant to serve as a lasting tribute to the vision and contributions of three key architects of Bengal’s political past.

Today, its symbolic power is being eroded -- both literally and figuratively -- by systemic neglect, criminal infiltration, and a lack of institutional accountability.

Unless urgent, coordinated efforts are undertaken, this national monument may soon be remembered not for its historical significance, but for how it was allowed to fall apart.