Nobel laureate and caretaker leader Muhammad Yunus announced plans to transform former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s residence, the Ganabhaban palace, into a museum commemorating the revolution that led to her ouster. Yunus, appointed as Bangladesh’s “chief advisor” following Hasina’s departure, stated that the museum would honor the “people’s anger” and record memories of Hasina’s alleged misrule. The announcement came during his visit to the heavily damaged Ganabhaban, now described by officials as a “symbol of repression.”
Controversial Legacy of Hasina’s 15-Year Rule
Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh for 15 years, faced allegations of human rights abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of political dissidents. Last month, her rule ended abruptly after a student-led uprising forced her to flee to India on August 5. During the police crackdown that preceded her departure, over 700 people reportedly died. In the aftermath, thousands stormed her residence, vandalizing its walls with graffiti condemning her administration.
Among the museum’s features will be a replica of the “Aynaghar” or “House of Mirrors” detention center, a facility where detainees were reportedly kept in isolation, forced to see only themselves in mirrored walls. “The Aynaghar should remind visitors of the torture endured by secret prisoners,” Yunus explained. Hasina’s regime was criticized for its handling of political prisoners, with the Aynaghar becoming notorious as a site of alleged torture.
Construction Timeline and Cultural Impact
Construction of the museum is expected to begin by December, according to Apurba Jahangir, a spokesperson from Yunus’s office. Plans have not yet begun, but officials assure that work will start soon. In related events, Hasina’s father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s museum was looted during the two-day chaos following her departure. Hasina, now 77, has remained out of public view since her escape and was last reported at a military airbase in New Delhi.
