Mostafa, Hali
Mostafa, Hali (1947-2000) architect and writer, was born on 2 January 1947 in Nasirkot under Hajigonj upazila of Chandpur district. He was the son of Afia Khatun and Mohammad Abdul Quddus (1906-1988), an educationist and writer. Hali Mostafa received primary education from Comilla. He passed matriculation from Comilla Zila School and ISc from Comilla Victoria College in 1962 and 1965 respectively. He earned graduation degree in Architecture in 1970 from the bangladesh university of engineering and technology. He did his post-graduation in Urban and Social Development from the Social Studies Institute of the Netherlands in 1976.
As a career architect Hali Mostafa discharged the responsibilities of Assistant Architect, Department of Architecture, Ministry of Housing and Public Works, Project Architect of Bangladesh Consultants Ltd and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. He also took part in the preservation and renovation project of Babylon’s Hanging Garden in Iraq in 1978. The next year he came back home and became as a Senior Architect in the Shahidullah and Associates Ltd and he was promoted to the post of Director there in 1981.
The remarkable architectural works of Hali Mostafa include: The 3rd Arts Building of rajshahi university (1971), the Martyred Intellectual Memorial in Dhaka (1972), the National Defence College complex, Mirpur, Dhaka (1974), the Krishi Bhaban of Khamar Bari Project, Girls hostel and house tutors Quarters of Chittagong University (1996), Students Hall of bangladesh agricultural university (1997), Conference Centre Complex of Dhaka Cantonment (1996), Faculty Building, VIP Hostel and Guest House of Rural Development Academy of Bogra, the 3rd and 4th Academic Buildings of chittagong university (1998) and the Art and Humanities Faculty Building of jahangirnagar university (1998). He was also the architect of Comilla Central Shaheed Minar, Comilla Club and Nasirkot Memorial. Hali Mostafa was one of the associates of world famous architect Luis I Kan while he was designing and implementing the Jatya Sangsad Bhavan (Parliament of Bangladesh), a leading architectural landmark of the world.
The architectural works of Hali Mostafa reveal his scientific viewpoints blended with artistic realm of imagination. He preferred to combine the utility and the sense of aesthetics in designing. His architectural excellence is highly observed in the Martyred Intellectual Memorial.
He put three triangle-shaped brick-walls on three different heights there as the symbol of courage and sacrifice of the martyrs.
Hali Mostafa wrote many essays, poems, stories, dairy and columns. His published books are: Hali Mostafar Shesh Column (1980-2000), a collection of Columns Published in Daily Ittehad and Hali Mostafar Rachana Sangraho (A Collection of selected essays of Hali Mostafa). He died on 26 October 2000. [Mamun Siddiqui]
