Dhaka Jail to have a museum

Photo: STAR

The prison authorities recently decided to set up jail museums where things used by the country's prominent political personalities as well as infamous militants during their stay in prisons all over the country would be on display for the general public.
The first museum of its kind would be located at Dhaka Central Jail on Nazimuddin Road in old Dhaka.
Prisons in Bangladesh are part of the country's history as not only corrupt politicians, militants or other criminals serve time here for their wrongdoings, but also many great leaders are imprisoned here for their ideological beliefs. A number of the leaders and anti-colonial patriots were also executed in these prisons.
Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui, DIG (prisons), told Star City that objects used by history makers like Masterda Surya Sen and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who fought against tyranny, and notorious militants like Bangla Bhai and Shaikh Abdur Rahman would be on display at the museum.
"Over the course of time many famous personalities stayed in jail. All the things they used everyday are part of the history now. We want to evoke some of that history to the general people," Siddiqui said.
"It will be a small-scale effort in the beginning. Currently we are collecting items from all around the country," he added.
Initially, the museum will be run on internal budget, said Siddiqui. "If necessary, we will ask the government for allocation [of funds] in the future."
After the opening of the first museum at Dhaka Central Jail, more such museums will be set up in 66 other jails across the country, he added.
Dhaka Central Jail is the largest among the 67 correctional facilities in Bangladesh. Originally built for around 3,000 detainees, the prison currently houses around 10,000 inmates including convicts and other prisoners awaiting trial. The prison also houses 78 unfortunate children of the female prisoners.
Established on 36 acres of land, the central jail on Nazimuddin Road witnessed many historical episodes. The facility housed many political prisoners, especially during the Language Movement of 1952, the Six-Point Movement and the Liberation War of 1971.
Siddiqui said some of the objects used by renowned personalities are already in the possession of the jail authorities. The chair used by Bangabandhu during his days in jail and the birdcage of his favourite pet bird will be displayed in the museum, he added.
The room in which the national leader stayed is being especially preserved. The last Awami League government installed a sculpture of the leader in the room. This sculpture along with the items used by four national leaders -- AHM Qamruzzaman, Tajuddin Ahmad, Syed Nazrul Islam and Captain Mansur Ali -- who were killed inside the Dhaka Central Jail in November, 1975, will also be displayed at the museum.
The pieces of rope that were used to hang militant leaders Bangla Bhai and Shaikh Abdur Rahman and the religious books they read have already made their place at the museum.
Items used by VIP inmates, currently locked up on various corruption charges, are also on the display list of the museum.
The rope that was used by the British rulers to hang Mastarda Surya Sen to death for his rebellious role would be placed on display at Chittagong jail museum as the event took place there on January 8, 1934.
A British era edible oil extraction machine, locally called ghaani, would be brought in from Jamalpur district jail and placed on display at the Dhaka Central Jail museum. Prisoners serving rigorous imprisonments during that time operated such machines that were powered by cattle.
The museum will also showcase the evolution of uniforms worn by prison guards and outfits worn by convicts. Visitors would be able to see how turbans worn by the guards changed into hats over time, their khaki uniforms into colourful ones, shorts into trousers and batons into 303 rifles.