A HOME TO REMEMBER
Photo: Prabir Das
There was always an overpowering aura that surrounded him. Still today, long after his tragic death, the overwhelming feeling still manages to grip us when we listen to his speeches or see his photos. Is it because he embodied an immense, awe-inspiring charisma? Is it because he was a die-hard rebel who cared minimum about the safety and security of his own life whilst devoting his lifetime for the cause of his people?
Fidel Castro had once commented about him: "I have not seen the Himalayas. But I have seen Sheikh Mujib." The global media deemed Bangabandhu as the 'poet of politics'.
And a political man he was. A visionary. A patriot. But to know the person behind the legend, a visit to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's residence would do a lot, because it introduces the political man, as a family man.
Whenever we say 'Dhanmondhi Bottirish' - Dhanmondi Road # 32, that is - we instantaneously think about Bangabandhu Bhaban, the three-storied building where our Father of the Nation used to live. The house is now a museum.
As you enter the premises, the same, familiar overwhelming feeling overtakes you; after all, you are entering the den of one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen.
But resolutely look for the family man. And you just might be able to get a glimpse of him.
Because, after all, it was his home. What are the things that make a home, home? As you enter the first floor, you will spot an aquarium, which belonged to Sheikh Russell. A (vintage) television set sits on a corner. A small dining table. Crockery. A Coca Cola bottle. A beautiful veranda. You could easily imagine how it was when Bangabandhu and his family lived there.
But unlike most homes, many of its walls are dotted with bullet holes - a testament to the massacre that was the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family.
The stairway deserves special attention: it is where, on 15 August of 1975, the great man laying.
The steps are now covered by glass - with rose petals sprinkled over them - preserving blood marks. A flag hangs on one of the walls.
Bullet marks are scattered here and there. A bunch of blood-red roses are kept on a holder. A painting by Shahabuddin Ahmed - an agonised Bangabandhu clutching his blood-smeared chest - hangs on another wall of the stairway.
With the ambience created, we may only try to imagine and recreate in our minds the event that took place in the house that fateful day. As the team was bringing the fifty five year old Mujib down the stairs, he shouted, "Where are you taking me?" At that point, one of the assassins opened fire, changing the course of history forever.
The three-storied building hosts - other than bedrooms, living rooms, et al - office and meeting rooms too. The museum houses the personal objects of the leader and his family - from the Mujib coat to his smoking pipes.
Behind the residence, a new, modern gallery has been constructed. It takes you through the journey of Mujib - his early political years, rise to leadership, the liberation war and down to Bangabandhu as a leader of the independent Bangladesh. Featuring multimedia presentation, the annexe is a treasure box filled with relevant and invaluable photographs, magazine covers, newspaper articles, etc.
The house, along with the new establishment, would not fail to connect you with Bangabandhu a little more intimately.
Business hours: 10am-5pm. Closed on Wednesday.
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