A multipurpose memorial with a vision
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed makes the complex with Liberation War memorabilia, library and old home, named after his mother
Commemorating the memory of his late mother and love for the country, a son built a multi-storied complex, including a museum and an old home, meant for taking care of elderly people, at Banglabazar in Bhola Sadar upazila.
The multipurpose complex, having seven different institutions, was built after the name of Fatema Khanom, mother of Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, also a local lawmaker.
The three-storey complex, built on 60 acres of land, consists of a museum, an old home, a mosque, a college, an orphanage, a medical college hospital and a medical centre for pregnant women for free of cost.
Fatema died on December 25 in 2006.
Of the establishments, the Swadhinata Museum, architecturally very unique, is the main attraction for the visitors.
“I have built the museum inside the complex to reveal the actual history of the country among the young generation and for my love for the country,” Tofail Ahmed said.
“I loved my mother and I love my country as like my mother,” he added.
“I was totally shocked when I visited the National Museum three years ago,” the minister said, adding that he did not see enough collections representing the memory Liberation War martyrs.
During a recent visit to the site this correspondent saw that the three-storey building complex has a modern library with a reading room, a digital hall room, 28 digital displays and a huge number of historic photos.
The museum is centrally connected with a lift and has 14 staff, who guide the visitors inside the museum.
A visitor needs at least an hour to see the only digital modern museum across the country, said Mohammad Nakib, manager of the museum.
Around 400 to 600 guests, including students of different schools, colleges and universities, visit the museum daily, he said, adding that the beautiful mosque and the old home on either sides of the museum have enhanced its attraction as well.
“I have learned many things about the country's Liberation War from the museum,” college student Sanjida Akter said.
Tofail said he built the old home to show his love to all the parents and he loves all the women, who are staying there, like his own mother.
The old home and the mosque are built near the museum so that the residents can easily visit the museum during leisure and offer their prayers.
A resident of the old home Sakhina Begum said the complex is one of the best examples of showing respect to all mothers.