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Ganabhaban

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Ganabhaban
Gate of Ganabhaban
Map
General information
LocationSher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka
CountryBangladesh
Construction started1973
Completed1974
OwnerGovernment of Bangladesh
ManagementGovernment of Bangladesh
Design and construction
Architect(s)Amir Hossain

The Ganabhaban (Template:Lang-bn) was former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina's official residence, which is located on the north corner of the National Parliament House in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.[1]

History

The country's founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, after switching to premiership following the independence of Bangladesh and founding of a parliamentary government,[2] used to work at the President House (variably Padma State Guest House and later Sugandha Bhaban), which he called the "People's House" and now serves as the Foreign Service Academy office, located on Minto Road.[3][4] Due to inadequate office space, following the 1973 general election, he had the Ganabhaban built as his official residence and secretariat, though he never resided there.[3] After its completion the following year, he would work there until 1975 and it was subsequently turned into a court-martial by the succeeding martial law administration.[5]

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

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

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.[6] 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.[6] 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.[7] The law was repealed, following Hasina's overthrow on 5 August 2024, by the Yunus interim government on the 29th, describing it as discriminatory.[8]

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,[9] 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.[10] U Pha Thann, Ambassador of Myanmar to Bangladesh, visited Hasina and discussed the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.[11]

In October 2013, Hasina invited another former prime minister Khaleda Zia to the Ganabhaban to discuss the 2014 national elections.[12]

A constable of the Special Security and Protection Battalion, guarding the Ganabhaban, was shot accidentally by a colleague in February 2018.[13]

Politicians of the Awami League and affiliated bodies have special passes to access the Ganabhaban.[14] In September 2019, the special passes of the president and general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League were suspended.[14] Bangladesh police stopped victims of 2012 Dhaka garment factory fire from reaching the Ganabhaban in November 2020.[15] In April 2022, Sohel Taj announced plans to march to the Ganabhaban.[16]

During the 2024 Bangladesh anti-government protests, the Ganabhaban was stormed and looted by protesters after Hasina's forced resignation and many things were stolen from the building.[17] Animals such as fish, ducks and rabbits, and other things like cash, sarees, jewelry and furniture were carried off as well, with some protesters even eating the rich food prepared in the kitchen.[18] However, later that day students came together and stopped the looting, made a human chain guarding the building and were able to recover about 80% of the looted items. Many also came forth and returned some of the animals and other items to the army who were on guard on the few days that followed.[19][20]

On 5 September, the interim government announced plans to open the place to the public converting it into a museum named "July Uprising Memorial Museum", with its condition maintained as it was left following its storming.[21]

Other past functions

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.[22] The custom was in place during Ershad's presidency also.[6]

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

Location

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.

References

  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. ^ "Mujibur Rahman | Biography, Family, & Assassination | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Dhaka District". parjatan.portal.gov.bd. বাংলাদেশ পর্যটন করপোরেশন. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  4. ^ Ahmed, Shamim. "Rebuilding history". dhakatribune.com. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  5. ^ "গণভবনে বাস করা একমাত্র প্রধানমন্ত্রী যিনি". www.dainikamadershomoy.com. Amader Shomoy. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e "চমৎকার স্থাপত্যশৈলীতে সাজানো প্রধানমন্ত্রীর সরকারি বাসভবন 'গণভবন'". The Daily Sangram. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Draft law on protection of Bangabandhu family okayed". The Daily Star. 6 July 2009.
  8. ^ "Govt decides to repeal law for protecting family members of Bangabandhu". Dhaka Tribune. 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  9. ^ Tusher, Hasan Jahid; Azad, M. Abul Kalam (7 February 2009). "PM's public programmes curtailed on security alert". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  10. ^ Tusher, Hasan Jahid (10 June 2010). "Gano Bhaban hosts wedding of 3 victims". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  11. ^ "Rohingya issue discussed". The Daily Star. UNB. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  12. ^ "Hasina invites Khaleda to Gono Bhaban Monday". The Daily Star. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  13. ^ "Gono Bhaban guard hurt in 'accidental firing'". The Daily Star. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  14. ^ a b "Gono Bhaban Access: BCL president, gen secretary's special passes suspended". The Daily Star. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  15. ^ "Tazreen tragedy victims barred from reaching Gono Bhaban`". The Daily Star. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  16. ^ "Sohel Taj to march to Gono Bhaban with 3-point demand". The Daily Star. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  17. ^ "Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns and flees country as protesters storm palace". BBC News. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  18. ^ "8L looted from Ganabhaban recovered". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Watch: Bangladesh Protesters Loot Hens, Sarees From Hasina's Residence, Feast On Biryani, Korma". News18. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  20. ^ "Hens, rabbits, fish, sarees .. what protesters took after storming Sheikh Hasina's house". Firstpost. 2024-08-06. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  21. ^ "Govt to convert Ganabhaban into July Uprising Memorial Museum". The Business Standard. 2024-09-05. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  22. ^ "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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