Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday opened a world-class architecture, ‘Bangabandhu Military Museum’, in the capital to exhibit the country’s military history, heritage and success, particularly its incredible valour and bravery throughout the Liberation War.
The Prime Minister virtually inaugurated the eye-catching museum from her official Ganobhaban residence here.
The Bangabandhu Military Museum was built on a 10-acre land adjacent to Bangabandhu Novo Theater (Planetarium) in the city’s Bijay Sarani area having a collection of military hardware, weapons and equipment.
The museum has six separate parts, including designated galleries for Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force.
To exhibit the glorious history of the Bangladeshi military forces, Bangladesh Military Museum was established in 1987 in Mirpur Cantonment, which was later shifted to the present location at Bijoy Sarani in 1992.
The military museum was modernized under Bangabandhu Military Museum Project to showcase the glorious past, challenges, achievements, and key success of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force.
The youth and Armed Forces
Addressing the event, the Prime Minister said the young generation would be inspired to join the Armed Forces and work for protecting the country’s independence and sovereignty, visiting the Bangabandhu Military Museum.
“This military museum is not merely for exhibition. Instead, it'll inspire the young generation with patriotism further. Being imbued with patriotism, they'll join our Armed Forces in order to protect the country’s independence and sovereignty,” she said.
Hasina said she is very glad seeing the features of the eye-catching museum virtually and wants it to be developed as the most beautiful one with a collection of modern technology among all the military museums across the world.
Noting that there are limited recreational sites for the people of the country, the PM said the government has an effort to create further scopes for the recreation of people.
She said the students who come to visit the Bangabandhu Novo Theatre can learn many things. Now the children would also visit the modern military museum and get recreation from a children's park built there.
“With all (recreational attractions), it’s an excellent place. The most important thing is that the Bijoy Sarani would continue to bear the memories of the victory,” she added.
Mentioning different features of the museum, people will be able to obtain knowledge about the military forces and become interested in joining the forces alongside getting recreation.
The Prime Minister said her government believes in the foreign policy “Friendship to all, malice towards none” framed by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“We’ve been maintaining the policy. I can say at least that we’ve been in the government since 2009 and was also in the 1996-2001 period. We’ve been following the policy,” she said.
Referring to various steps taken by her government since 1996, the PM said they have taken time-befitting measures for the overall development of the Armed Forces following the footprints of the Father of the Nation.
Sheikh Hasina said she had to face two cases each for building the planetarium, purchasing MIG-29 planes for the air force and frigates for the navy.
“What I did is for the people, though they (the then government) had been able to prove nothing against me here (in the graft cases),'' she said.
The Prime Minister said it is utmost important to project the country’s history, particularly its glorious history of Liberation War, before the people of the country as well as enrich them with knowledge about the country’s military forces.
Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, and Defence Senior Secretary Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal spoke on the occasion from the museum site.
