A war museum that brings alive nation’s history

It is always a challenge to educate the new generation on a nation's rich history and instill in them the spirit and pride that they very well deserve, reports UNB. Long after Bangladesh came into being through a nine-month bloodbath, a war museum took upon it to transpire the less-known national history of pride to an entire generation who didn't have a chance to experience firsthand the country's War of Liberation fought in 1971. The Liberation War Museum, which has been relocated to the capital’s Agargaon area from Segunbagicha in April last year, is standing with all its dignity and serenity, keeping its door wide open for visitors to experience the country's culture, heritage and history, 1971’s independence war as well as events of past several centuries in our part of the world.

While having a walk through the passages of the four magnificent galleries of this museum, one can go back to the pages of history, experience the pain, uncertainty, sufferings, sacrifices of the great Liberation War and taste the birth of a new country called - Bangladesh.

The journey starts with Gallery One - where visitors will start knowing the history from the pages of the ancient history of Bengal. Holding the hand of Ibn Battuta one will enter in the time of 13th century. After quickly exploring the beauty of newly founded capital of Mughal Empire ‘Dacca’ and the Battle of Plassey's sad ending, visitors will get the imageries of 200 years rule of British empire. Not only the oppression, but visitors will get exposed to revolution as they get to meet the great revolutionists of that time including Pritilata Waddedar, Surya Sen and Khudiram Bose. Following the non-cooperation movement and Swadeshi Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, the rule of British Raj drew an end. But the history of oppression takes a new turn with the creation of Pakistan having its two far off parts located a thousand mile away from each other.

The photographs, newspaper headlines and documents on display at the museum clearly help the visitors fathom the repressive nature of then Pakistani government. These exhibits unfold before the visitors the tumultuous days movements in East Pakistan that culminated through a war in 1971. Then the Gallery Two of the Liberation War Museum welcomes its visitor with the historical 7thMarch speech of Bangabandhu. And then comes the stunning part – ‘Operation Search Light’ - the start of a worst genocide of 20th century inflicted upon unarmed Bangalees by the Pakistanis and subsequent declaration of independence by Bangabandhu.

The museum creates an ambience - a dark passage, military jeep with its headlights on, burnt walls, broken bricks and rows of dead bodies - the visitors are bound to feel that they are revisiting the horrific night of 25thMarch. However, the dark passage gradually leads its visitors towards a new light where the historic declaration came from Bangabandhu – “This may be my last message........ Your fight must go on until the last soldier of the Pakistan occupation army is expelled from the soil of Bangladesh and final victory is achieved”. The gallery ends with the photographs of helpless millions who leave their country behind losing everything and take refuge in India; following them the visitors leave the gallery too.

The visitors can experience the combat of freedom fighters and their nine month fight, and feel attached with the emotion of their guerrilla warfare through watching their everyday utensils, clothes, arms, hideouts and other testimonies in Gallery Three.

The gallery unfolds the stories of our freedom fighters as well as the cooperation and the support we got from the international communities.

The journey of Gallery Four starts with Bakhunda Bridge operation and the contribution of women in the war. It allows one to experience one of the most breathtaking parts of the war, the inhuman tortures on women. The representation of the torture cell along with wall graffiti and photographs portray the cruelty of the Pakistani junta on the captivated women in their camps.

Once the visitors are done with the part that exhibits the memory of the killing of country's intellectuals, a Gallery passage leads them to the moment of signing of the instrument of surrender by Lt Gen Niazi, the commander of Pakistan Eastern Command, in Dhaka on 16 December 1971, in the presence of India's Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora.And the gallery ends with the giant display of the first constitution of the newly born country Bangladesh.

Commemorating the heroic struggle of the Bangalee nation for their democratic and national rights, the prime objective of the museum is to make the new generations aware about the true spirit and aspirations for which their forefathers had fought, said Ziauddin Tariq Ali, Member Secretary of the museum's trustee board.

According to the official website of the museum, currently it has 21,000 objects in its collection (August 2016), which include rare photographs, documents, coverage in both electronic and print media and materials used by freedom fighters and martyrs of the Liberation War.

A war museum that brings alive nations history

It is always a challenge to educate the new generation on a nations rich history and instill in them the spirit and pride that they very well deserve, reports UNB. Long after Bangladesh came into being through a nine-month bloodbath, a war museum took upon it to transpire the less-known national history of pride to an entire generation who didnt have a chance to experience firsthand the countrys War of Liberation fought in 1971. The Liberation War Museum, which has been relocated to the capitals Agargaon area from Segunbagicha in April last year, is standing with all its dignity and serenity, keeping its door wide open for visitors to experience the countrys culture, heritage and history, 1971s independence war as well as events of past several centuries in our part of the world. While having a walk through the passages of the four magnificent galleries of this museum, one can go back to the pages of history, experience the pain, uncertainty, sufferings, sacrifices of the great Liberation War and taste the birth of a new country called - Bangladesh. The journey starts with Gallery One - where visitors will start knowing the history from the pages of the ancient history of Bengal. Holding the hand of Ibn Battuta one will enter in the time of 13th century. After quickly exploring the beauty of newly founded capital of Mughal Empire Dacca and the Battle of Plasseys sad ending, visitors will get the imageries of 200 years rule of British empire. Not only the oppression, but visitors will get exposed to revolution as they get to meet the great revolutionists of that time including Pritilata Waddedar, Surya Sen and Khudiram Bose. Following the non-cooperation movement and Swadeshi Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, the rule of British Raj drew an end. But the history of oppression takes a new turn with the creation of Pakistan having its two far off parts located a thousand mile away from each other. The photographs, newspaper headlines and documents on display at the museum clearly help the visitors fathom the repressive nature of then Pakistani government. These exhibits unfold before the visitors the tumultuous days movements in East Pakistan that culminated through a war in 1971. Then the Gallery Two of the Liberation War Museum welcomes its visitor with the historical 7thMarch speech of Bangabandhu. And then comes the stunning part Operation Search Light - the start of a worst genocide of 20th century inflicted upon unarmed Bangalees by the Pakistanis and subsequent declaration of independence by Bangabandhu. The museum creates an ambience - a dark passage, military jeep with its headlights on, burnt walls, broken bricks and rows of dead bodies - the visitors are bound to feel that they are revisiting the horrific night of 25thMarch. However, the dark passage gradually leads its visitors towards a new light where the historic declaration came from Bangabandhu This may be my last message........ Your fight must go on until the last soldier of the Pakistan occupation army is expelled from the soil of Bangladesh and final victory is achieved. The gallery ends with the photographs of helpless millions who leave their country behind losing everything and take refuge in India; following them the visitors leave the gallery too. The visitors can experience the combat of freedom fighters and their nine month fight, and feel attached with the emotion of their guerrilla warfare through watching their everyday utensils, clothes, arms, hideouts and other testimonies in Gallery Three. The gallery unfolds the stories of our freedom fighters as well as the cooperation and the support we got from the international communities. The journey of Gallery Four starts with Bakhunda Bridge operation and the contribution of women in the war. It allows one to experience one of the most breathtaking parts of the war, the inhuman tortures on women. The representation of the torture cell along with wall graffiti and photographs portray the cruelty of the Pakistani junta on the captivated women in their camps. Once the visitors are done with the part that exhibits the memory of the killing of countrys intellectuals, a Gallery passage leads them to the moment of signing of the instrument of surrender by Lt Gen Niazi, the commander of Pakistan Eastern Command, in Dhaka on 16 December 1971, in the presence of Indias Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora.And the gallery ends with the giant display of the first constitution of the newly born country Bangladesh. Commemorating the heroic struggle of the Bangalee nation for their democratic and national rights, the prime objective of the museum is to make the new generations aware about the true spirit and aspirations for which their forefathers had fought, said Ziauddin Tariq Ali, Member Secretary of the museums trustee board. According to the official website of the museum, currently it has 21,000 objects in its collection (August 2016), which include rare photographs, documents, coverage in both electronic and print media and materials used by freedom fighters and martyrs of the Liberation War.