SHILLONG, June 23: The Meghalaya government has initiated efforts to ascertain the status of the memorial of Khasi freedom fighter U Tirot Sing Syiem in Bangladesh and may pursue its reconstruction once a detailed assessment is received from the authorities concerned.
Arts and Culture Minister Sanbor Shullai on Tuesday said he has instructed the Principal Secretary of the department to remain in contact with the Bangladesh Embassy in Dhaka and obtain a report on the present situation. Based on the findings, the government will explore the possibility of rebuilding and reconstructing a life-size statue of the legendary Khasi leader.
The move comes months after the memorial of U Tirot Sing, situated at the entrance of the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in Dhaka, was destroyed during the political unrest that swept Bangladesh and culminated in the ouster of the previous government.
Earlier, the Meghalaya government had formally appealed to the new administration in Bangladesh to restore the memorial, which holds deep historical and cultural significance for the people of Meghalaya, particularly the Khasi community.U Tirot Sing, the Syiem of Nongkhlaw, is remembered for leading the Khasi resistance against British colonial expansion in the early nineteenth century. Following his capture, he was deported to Dhaka, where he died as a political prisoner on July 17, 1835.
The memorial in Dhaka stood as a tribute to one of Meghalaya’s most revered freedom fighters and marked the place associated with the final chapter of his life. Its destruction during the unrest was viewed with concern in Meghalaya, where U Tirot Sing continues to occupy a central place in the state’s history and collective memory.
Shullai said the government is awaiting official feedback before deciding on the next course of action. The state hopes to ensure that the legacy and sacrifice of U Tirot Sing are preserved and appropriately honoured at the site linked to his imprisonment and death, nearly 190 years after his passing.
