July Memorial Museum set for inauguration

The July Memorial Museum is set to be inaugurated soon as construction and renovation works have almost been completed, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury said on Tuesday.

He said the remaining administrative preparations, including finalising manpower recruitment, would be completed shortly before the official opening of the museum.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Nitai Roy Chowdhury said the recruitment process would be finalised at the first meeting of the newly formed Board of Trustees within the next couple of days.

The museum would then be inaugurated at the earliest, subject to the convenience and approval of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, he said.

The minister said the July Mass Uprising reflected the long-standing grievances of people who had become frustrated under the misrule of the then prime minister.

He said an initiative was taken to establish the “July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum” following a decision of the interim government and an assessment of the uprising’s significance, scale and impact.

After taking office, the present government introduced structural changes and legal adjustments to make the project more comprehensive and sustainable, he added.

Responding to questions about delays in the inauguration and project costs, the minister said a Board of Trustees had already been formed to oversee the museum’s management.

He said the Director General of the National Museum had earlier been given additional responsibility for the project during the interim government period.

“A full-fledged museum requires a permanent staffing structure and a clearly defined organisational framework,” he said, adding that legal approvals and amendments to relevant regulations in coordination with the Ministry of Public Administration and other agencies had taken time.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Cultural Affairs Dr Jahed Ur Rahman said the ministry had launched special initiatives to preserve the memory and spirit of the July Mass Uprising and communicate its significance across the country.

He said all institutions under the Cultural Affairs Ministry would organise cultural programmes, exhibitions and competitions nationwide from Wednesday.

Dr Jahed said July 15 carried special significance as students took to the streets shortly after midnight on July 14, while attacks were carried out against protesting students, particularly female students, on July 15.

Those incidents accelerated the wave of sacrifices that culminated on July 16, he said.
He urged media professionals to help promote the programmes and highlight the importance of the historic days among the public.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam and Cultural Affairs Secretary Kaniz Moula were present at the press conference.