The first Shaheed Minar to commemorate the Language martyrs of February 21, 1952, was built immediately after the events of that day. According to Dr. Sayeed Haider, a main planner and the designer of the first Shaheed Minar, the decision to build it was first made by the students of Dhaka Medical College. The planning started at midnight on February 22, and the work started the next day. It was sponsored by Pearu Sardar, one of the old Dhaka panchayet sardars. Although curfew was in place, students started building the Minar on the afternoon of February 23m and worked through the night to finish it by dawn. A handwritten paper was attached to the Minar with “Shaheed Smritistombho” written on it. It was demolished within a few days by the police and Pakistani Army. It was built and destroyed several times till 1971, until it was re-erected after Bangladesh's Independence.