Swadhinata Stambha, Independence monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Swadhinata Stambha is a 150-foot tower of stacked glass panels on a square concrete platform in Suhrawardy Udyan, Dhaka. Its steel frame is 16 feet wide on each side, and at night electric light turns it into a white pillar. A water body stands west of the platform, and steps behind a terracotta wall lead down to the underground museum.

The monument marks where Pakistani forces surrendered in 1971, establishing Bangladesh as an independent nation after a decisive military conflict. This location became a focal point for commemorating the country's liberation.

The underground museum's main exhibit is a large photograph of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivering his 7 March 1971 speech at this ground. Terracotta murals depict war heroes and events of the Liberation War, and a 2000-seat auditorium and open-air theatre host commemorative programmes. An eternal flame, Shikha Chirantan, stands beside the tower.

The monument's central location provides easy access by public transportation and connects to major points across the Dhaka metropolitan area. The site is walkable and the surrounding plaza offers open space for exploration and orientation.

The tower stands exactly where Pakistani commander Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi signed the instrument of surrender on 16 December 1971. The winning 1997 design by Marina Tabassum and Kashef Mahboob Chowdhury also included a museum, a multimedia projection theatre and an amphitheatre.