Foreign diplomats based in Dhaka on Tuesday visited the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum, days before its scheduled public opening.
According to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki briefed the visiting diplomats and guided them through the museum’s key sections during the two-hour visit.
At the beginning of the tour, the diplomats observed a one-minute silence in memory of nearly 4,000 people who were martyred during the rule of Sheikh Hasina.
Farooki said the July Museum aims to collaborate with similar institutions around the world. “The idea behind the museum is to prevent the recurrence of such misrule; not only in Bangladesh, but anywhere in the world,” he said.
Foreign Adviser M Touhid Hossain, who was also present, said the museum reflects the people’s struggle against Sheikh Hasina’s misrule.
“The museum presents the climax of the 36 days of the July uprising, while also highlighting the elements of years of misrule. The real lesson of history is to ensure that it is not repeated,” he said.
Chief Curator Tanzim Wahab explained the museum’s various features to the diplomats and guests.
European Union Ambassador and Head of Delegation Michael Miller praised the initiative, saying, “I am delighted to have visited the July Museum. It is both inspiring and a powerful reminder of the importance of understanding history, how mass uprisings occur, and the genesis of the 2024 mass uprising in Bangladesh.”
A large number of diplomats and representatives of international organisations attended the visit, including ambassadors, chargés d’affaires and senior officials from Algeria, Argentina, Bhutan, Denmark, Egypt, France, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kosovo, Libya, Morocco, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Türkiye, the United States, China, Japan and Brunei, among others.
Representatives of international and regional organisations such as the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), Asian Development Bank (ADB), BIMSTEC, CIRDAP, FAO, IFDC, IOM, UNESCO, UNHCR, WFP and UNOPS were also present.
Senior Secretary for SDG Affairs Lamiya Morshed, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Mofidur Rahman attended the event.
The museum has been established at Ganabhaban, the former official residence of Sheikh Hasina and is set to have a soft opening next week.
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