The greatest achievement of the Bengali nation, the glorious chapter of the great liberation war of 1971. The oppressed Bengalis gained complete independence through this war during the period of colonial exploitation. Freedom has come through immense sacrifice, blood of millions of martyrs and rubble. Memories of this great sacrifice, bravery and heroism of the Bengalis are scattered all over the country and abroad. The Liberation War Museum is the institution that has taken appropriate measures to preserve and display these glorious traditions.
★Purpose and responsibility of establishing a museum:
Every independent nation is eternally responsible to the heroes of its independence. The Liberation War Museum has been set up to preserve and display the true history of the establishment of independent Bangladesh to the new generation.
★Initiatives and Establishment:
Some patriotic, socially conscious great people took the initiative to establish this museum. The unprecedented response, support and assistance of people from all walks of life across the country play an effective role in the implementation of this noble initiative. The museum was established on 22 March 1997 by renovating an old two-storey building in Dhaka's Segunbagichar. It was inaugurated by Archie, granddaughter of martyred intellectual Rashidul Hasan.
★Features and infrastructure:
Naturally, the Liberation War Museum is completely different from other museums in terms of subject matter and features. The exhibition, arranged in six galleries of the two-storey museum, has a well-planned and well-managed impression. There is a small premises at the entrance of the building. A car used by Fazle Rabbi.
★First Gallery:
The first gallery is neatly arranged with ancient Bengali artefacts and images of the struggle against British colonial rule. The design of the Palashi Desert, the Sepoy Rebellion, Tipu Sultan, Titumir's paintings, Khudiram, Pritilata, Maulana Mohammad Ali, Shawkat Ali and the Dhaka University Committee's light paintings, Rabindranath's small sculptures, undisputed evidence of undivided India and the history of the Bengali nation. There is a picture of Mainamati, Paharpur, model of Satgabhuj mosque, palm leaf book, ancient church, patterns of ancient Bengali artefacts.
★Second Gallery:
This gallery shows the history of discrimination, oppression, rule and exploitation of Pakistanis. It contains clothes, pens, pipes, handkerchiefs and letters used by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
★Third Gallery:
At the beginning of the exhibition of this gallery there is a picture of Bangabandhu's exalted call on March 7. There is the non-cooperation movement of '71, the genocide on March 25, the declaration of independence of Kalurghat radio station, the swearing in of the caretaker government and the miserable lives of the refugees.
★Fourth Gallery:
This gallery has several showcases. Clothing and other items used by various martyrs are preserved here. There are also various reports on genocide in foreign newspapers.
★Fifth Gallery:
In the fifth gallery, besides the testimonies of the contribution of common people in the war of liberation, there is a place for guerrilla warfare, independent Bengali radio, naval commando, air force, women's society, weapons used in the war of liberation, foreign support and especially the support of Indian people.
★Sixth Gallery:
This is the last room of the museum. There are signs of non-acceptance and self-sacrifice of the Indian forces. There are images of the surrender of the Pak army, their accomplices Razakar, Alshams, Al Badr, the most heinous massacre. There is also the pride of self-sacrifice of the heroic warriors of Bengal.
★Activities of the Liberation War Museum:
The Liberation War Museum conducts various activities keeping in view the aims and objectives of its establishment. E.g.
* Students are brought to visit the museum under the management of the museum under the outreach program. This program has been running since 1998.
* The 'Festival of Liberation' is organized on a large scale every year with the students participating in the outreach program. It started in 2001, with 15,000 students taking part each year.
* A large bus has been converted into a mobile museum. It travels to different parts of the country and organizes exhibitions.
* Jalladkhana massacre ground in Mirpur witnessed the horrific massacre of Pak army and their allied Razakars, Albadars. The Liberation War Museum has set up a 'Slaughterhouse Memorial' here.
* International Documentary Film Festival has been organized every year since 2006. It features documentaries on war, genocide, human rights, peace and harmony.
* Since 2008, the Liberation War Museum, in collaboration with Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad, has been conducting Asian youth camps on peace and tolerance at that historic site.
* Since 2006, the Liberation War Museum has been holding an international conference on genocide.
* Since 2007, the Liberation War Museum Bazlur Rahman Memorial Medal has been launched in collaboration with the late Bazlur Rahman Foundation, a renowned journalist for journalism on the Liberation War.
* The Liberation War Museum has formed a 'volunteer team' with students from schools, colleges and universities. Who are playing a collaborative role in managing the various activities of the museum.
* The International Coalition of Historical Museums of Consensus has formed the Liberation War Museum along with eight other like-minded countries of the world. It is also a member of the American Association of Museums and ICOM-Bangladesh.
★Future plans:
At present, only 1400 memorabilia are displayed in the museum, but there are more than 15,000 memorabilia in the collection. It is not possible to display this huge collection due to lack of space. During the previous caretaker government, the Museum Trust was allotted 0.72 acres of land for the construction of a permanent museum of the Liberation War in the Agargaon area of the capital.
In this situation, the future plans of the Liberation War Museum-
- Construction of permanent buildings on allotted land. Its work has already started.
- The new museum building will have two types of exhibitions, 'permanent' and 'variable'.
- The main permanent exhibition will be in two parts: (a) the towns and traditions of Bengal and (b) the course of history.
- In the exhibition, along with the mainstream of history, the identity of human life and self-sacrifice will be matched with special importance.
Liberation War Museum, an institution reminiscent of Bengali nationalism. The mirror of the war day holds in the heart of the Liberation War Museum is also a memorial sign of the liberation war. It bridges the gap between the past, present and future and informs the root-seeking generation about the true history of Bangladesh's birth. So even though it is not a multi-dimensional museum, its importance and necessity in the life of Bengalis is immense.
