Preserve all documents of ‘71 war

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the authorities to collect and preserve all documents related to the country's Liberation War that are scattered across the world.

Hasina gave the directive while ECNEC approved a Tk 63 crore project aiming to collect and preserve the audio-visual documents of the Liberation War from local and foreign sources, as well as strengthening the capacity of the Bangladesh Film Archive.

"The Prime Minister asked the authorities concerned to collect and conserve all the War of Liberation related documents from various countries, especially from countries of Eastern Europe," Planning Minister MA Mannan quoted Hasina at the press conference after the meeting.

He said that government wants to preserve the documents related to Liberation War so that future generations can know about the real history.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) passed the three-year project to be completed by July 2023.

Under the project, audio-visual documents related to the Liberation War will be collected.

Other documents related to Liberation War will be collected for study and research purposes, if needed this will be reviewed and reprinted, reads the project proposal.

As part of the project, documentaries based on 400 heroic freedom fighters' interviews will be produced. Books, periodicals, publications, songbooks, posters, leaflets, photos, manuscripts, and other Liberation War-related materials will be collected and preserved.

Organising regular exhibitions from the archives of audio-visual documents related to the Liberation War, expanding research opportunities for researchers, students, and filmmakers in specialised archives and film libraries, seminars, and symposiums on various Liberation War topics will also be held, reads the project proposal.

Additionally, a film museum will be established and Bangladesh Film Archive's technical capacity will be enhanced, according to the project proposal.

Mannan said that a total of 10 projects were approved yesterday involving about Tk 7,985.51 crore. Of the approved 10 projects, nine are new while one is a revised project.

While approving a project replacing existing bailey and other risky bridges at dilapidated, narrow and important points of Rangpur Zone with a cost Tk 861.39 crore, Mannan said the PM asked the authorities concerned to find out such dilapidated bridges across the country and for replacing those.

Mannan also said that ECNEC approved another project titled Madarganj 100MW Solar Power Plant at Solar Park, Jamalpur with Tk 1,511.79 crore.

He said that ECNEC had earlier proposed to name this plant after the name of the PM since it would be the country's largest and iconic solar power plant, but the premier opposed the proposal and asked to name it Madarganj solar power plant at Solar Park.