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Ganabhaban

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Ganabhaban
Gate of Ganabhaban
Map
General information
StatusClosed (under renovation for conversion to a memorial museum for the July Revolution)
LocationSher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka
CountryBangladesh
Construction started1973
Completed1974
Cost৳2.39 billion
ClientGovernment of Bangladesh
OwnerGovernment of Bangladesh
ManagementCity PWD Division, Dhaka
Technical details
Floor area3600 sq ft
Design and construction
Architect(s)Amir Hossain
Part of a series on the
Student–People's uprising
Student–People's uprising at the University of Dhaka
History
Organisations
People
Aftermath
Deaths
Legacy

The Ganabhaban (Bengali: গণভবন, lit. 'People's House') located in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, north of the National Parliament House, served as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh until the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[1] In the aftermath of the Student–People's uprising in July 2024, the residence is undergoing transformation into a museum, to be named the July Uprising Memorial Museum.[2][3][4][5]

History

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Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, after switching from presidency to premiership following the independence of Bangladesh and founding of a parliamentary government,[6] used to have his office at what was known as the "President's House" (later more commonly "Sugandha Bhaban" and officially "State Guest House Sugandha"),[7] which he referred to as the "Ganabhaban", meaning "People's House", and now serves as the Foreign Service Academy office since 1996, located on Baily Road.[7][8][9] Due to inadequate office space, following the 1973 general election, he had the Ganabhaban built at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar as his official residence and secretariat, though he never resided there.[8] After its completion the following year, he would work there until 1975 and it would subsequently be used as a court-martial by the succeeding martial law administrations.[10]

A view from inside the Ganabhaban during an official meeting in 2023

After 6 April 1979, the building remained abandoned until 1985 when Chief Martial Law Administrator HM Ershad, on the occasion of the first SAARC summit, undertook the initiative to renovate it for the first time.[11] Following the completion of renovation work, it was rechristened to State Guest House Karatoa in 1986. During his Bangladesh tour, Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi stayed at the place.[11]

Right before the end of her first tenure as prime minister from 1996 to 2001, Sheikh Hasina, Mujib's daughter, leased the Ganabhaban for just one taka during a regular cabinet meeting presided by her.[11] Such a move offended the people and came under much criticism at the time from both national and international media. Reluctant to tolerate such criticism, PM Hasina left the building with her sister, likely planning to complete rest of the formalities in her next premiership after the election.[11] However, she would not come to power again until 2009 and the lease would get canceled by the caretaker government of Latifur Rahman.

On 13 October 2009, a law, passed by the parliament as part of an act to provide state security to Mujib's family members, assigned the Ganabhaban to Hasina.[12] The law was repealed, following Hasina's overthrow on 5 August 2024, by the Yunus interim government on the 29th, describing it as discriminatory.[13]

Sheikh Hasina moved into the Ganabhaban on 6 March 2010, more than a year after she had been elected.[1] Before that, she had to move from her late husband's house Sudha Sadan to Jamuna State Guest House in February of the same year on the advice of intelligence agencies and the Special Security Force,[14] and stayed there while the Ganabhaban was being renovated.[1] She hosted the wedding of three women who were victims of the 2010 Dhaka fire in Nimtoli at the Ganabhaban.[15] U Pha Thann, Ambassador of Myanmar to Bangladesh, visited Hasina and discussed the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.[16]

In October 2013, Hasina invited another former prime minister Khaleda Zia to the Ganabhaban to discuss the 2014 national elections.[17]

A constable of the Special Security and Protection Battalion, guarding the Ganabhaban, was shot accidentally by a colleague in February 2018.[18]

Politicians of the Awami League affiliated bodies have special passes to access the Ganabhaban.[19] In September 2019, the special passes of the president and general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League were suspended.[19] Bangladesh police stopped victims of 2012 Dhaka garment factory fire from reaching the Ganabhaban in November 2020.[20] In April 2022, Sohel Taj announced plans to march to the Ganabhaban.[21]

During the 2024 Student–People's Mass Uprising, the Ganabhaban was stormed and looted by protesters following Prime Minister Hasina's forced resignation.[22] Various items, including cash, sarees, jewelry, furniture, and even animals such as fish, ducks, and rabbits, were taken from the premises.[23] Some protesters also consumed the food prepared in the kitchen. However, later that day, students organized themselves to halt the looting, forming a human chain to protect the building and successfully recovering approximately 80% of the stolen items. Many individuals returned looted items and animals to the military, who were stationed at the site in the days that followed.[24][25]

On 5 September, the interim government announced plans to convert Ganabhaban into a public museum, named the July Uprising Memorial Museum, preserving its post-storming condition as a historical exhibit.[2]

Other past functions

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Beside residing there, Sheikh Hasina used to exchange Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha greetings with people including party leaders, professionals, senior civil and military officials, judges and diplomats at the place. On the day of the two Eids, the gate used to be opened to all visitors at nine in the morning, when people from all walks of life used to wait in queue to meet her after the special prayers.[26] The custom was in place during Ershad's presidency also.[11]

View of the National Parliament House. Ganabhaban is located in the top left corner.

Location

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It is on the northwest corner of the Mirpur Road and Lake Road crossing and a five-minute walk from the National Parliament House. The area is one of the highest security zones of Dhaka. The Prime Minister's Office is a little way off.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "PM moves to Gono Bhaban". The Daily Star. 6 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Govt to convert Ganabhaban into July Uprising Memorial Museum". The Business Standard. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  3. ^ "CA asks authorities to build Aynaghar replica at July Museum". The Financial Express. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  4. ^ BSS (28 October 2024). "Chief adviser for fast-track construction of museum of July-August mass uprising at Ganabhaban". Prothomalo. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Chief Adviser for fast-track construction of museum for July-August mass uprising at Gonobhaban | Chief Adviser's News". BSS. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Mujibur Rahman | Biography, Family, & Assassination | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  7. ^ a b "At a Glance". fsa.gov.bd. Foreign Service Academy, Bangladesh. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Dhaka District". parjatan.portal.gov.bd. বাংলাদেশ পর্যটন করপোরেশন. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  9. ^ Ahmed, Shamim. "Rebuilding history". dhakatribune.com. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  10. ^ "গণভবনে বাস করা একমাত্র প্রধানমন্ত্রী যিনি". www.dainikamadershomoy.com. Amader Shomoy. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e "চমৎকার স্থাপত্যশৈলীতে সাজানো প্রধানমন্ত্রীর সরকারি বাসভবন 'গণভবন'". The Daily Sangram. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Draft law on protection of Bangabandhu family okayed". The Daily Star. 6 July 2009.
  13. ^ "Govt decides to repeal law for protecting family members of Bangabandhu". Dhaka Tribune. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  14. ^ Tusher, Hasan Jahid; Azad, M. Abul Kalam (7 February 2009). "PM's public programmes curtailed on security alert". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  15. ^ Tusher, Hasan Jahid (10 June 2010). "Gano Bhaban hosts wedding of 3 victims". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Rohingya issue discussed". The Daily Star. UNB. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  17. ^ "Hasina invites Khaleda to Gono Bhaban Monday". The Daily Star. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Gono Bhaban guard hurt in 'accidental firing'". The Daily Star. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  19. ^ a b "Gono Bhaban Access: BCL president, gen secretary's special passes suspended". The Daily Star. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Tazreen tragedy victims barred from reaching Gono Bhaban`". The Daily Star. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Sohel Taj to march to Gono Bhaban with 3-point demand". The Daily Star. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  22. ^ "Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns and flees country as protesters storm palace". BBC News. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  23. ^ "8L looted from Ganabhaban recovered". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  24. ^ "Watch: Bangladesh Protesters Loot Hens, Sarees From Hasina's Residence, Feast On Biryani, Korma". News18. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Hens, rabbits, fish, sarees .. what protesters took after storming Sheikh Hasina's house". Firstpost. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  26. ^ "PM exchanges Eid greetings with people". The Daily Star. BSS. 23 August 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
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