- Gana Bhavan, Sheikh Hasina's former residence, is being converted into a museum
- The museum will be named the July Revolution Memorial Museum and open on August 5
- Gana Bhavan was looted by a mob shortly after Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh in August
Once a heavily guarded Prime Minister's home, Gana Bhavan, the former official residence of Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina is being turned into a museum. It is likely to be called the July Revolution Memorial Museum.
The VIP complex with facilities required for a leader to conduct official duties was built by Sheikh Hasina's father, the first leader of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and Sheikha Hasina made it her official residence during her 15 years in power.
The place was known as the Estate Rajbari during the British and Pakistani-rule and was the palace of the Maharajas of Dighapatia. The Bangladesh Government was using the palace as the official residence of the head of the government of Bangladesh.
The interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus had announced the plan to turn Sheikh Hasina's family residence, 'Ganabhaban' (People's House) into a museum representing her "misrule". The July Revolution Memorial Museum will be inaugurated on August 5 on the anniversary of the toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government as the work of the museum is nearing completion.
The premises are located in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka, just minutes away from the national parliament complex. The current facility was completed in1984. Sheikh Hasina moved into the Ganabhaban on 6 March 2010, more than a year after she had been elected and it remained her home till August 5 last year.
Gana Bhavan was looted by a violent mob that had arrived at its gates with an intention to kill Sheikh Hasina, minutes after she had left the place and fled the country on August 5. Practically everything was looted from the residence including sarees, decorative items, clocks, sofas, luxury handbags, television sets, fish, and even women's underwear. The images of the looting had flooded social media leading to viral memes. Later authorities claimed many of the looted items were returned.
The unruly and violent mob had stormed the premises amidst anger against Hasina accusing her of ordering killings and heading a fascist regime.
The museum will have artefacts of the protesters killed during the violence last year and graffiti on the wall by protesters will also remain. Bangaldesh's Ministry of Cultural Affairs has proposed the creation of nearly 200 positions for the operation and management of the museum. The museum will officially open for the public once it receives final approval from the authorities overseeing its creation.
