Looted, abandoned, reimagined: Ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s Ganabhaban Palace to be turned into revolution museum

Once a highly secured Prime Minister's residence, Ganabhaban, the former official residence of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina is being converted into a museum. It is likely to be named as the July Revolution Memorial Museum. The VIP complex with the facilities needed for a leader to carry out official work was constructed by Sheikh Hasina's father, the first leader of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and Sheikha Hasina turned it into her official residence during her 15-year rule.

The palace was named the Estate Rajbari during the British and Pakistani regime and was the palace of the Maharajas of Dighapatia. The palace was being used by the Bangladesh government as the official home of the head of the government of Bangladesh.

The caretaker government headed by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus had previously declared the intention to convert Sheikh Hasina's family home, 'Ganabhaban' or People's House, into a museum symbolising her "misrule". The July Revolution Memorial Museum will be opened on August 5 on the anniversary of the removal of the Sheikh Hasina regime as the museum work is all set to be completed.

The buildings are located in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka, just minutes away from the country's parliament complex. The present complex was inaugurated in1984. Sheikh Hasina moved into the Ganabhaban on March 6, 2010, over a year since she had been voted into office and it remained her home until August 5, 2024. Ganabhaban was raided by an angry mob that had gathered at its doors with an intentionto kill Sheikh Hasina, just moments after she had exited the premises and left the country on August 5. Almost everything was plundered from the house including sarees, ornaments, clocks, sofas, designer handbags, televisions, fish among other things. The viral images filled social media triggering viral memes. Subsequently, authorities claimed that most of the items looted were recovered.

The riotous and violent crowd had raided the complex in rage against Hasina for allegedly sanctioning murders and leading a fascist administration. The museum will feature the artefacts of last year's violence protesters who were killed and graffiti on the wall by protesters will also be left intact. Bangladesh's Ministry of Cultural Affairs has suggested the establishment of almost 200 jobs for the running and management of the museum. The museum will officially open to the public once it is granted final permission from the authorities in charge of its construction.