Toshakhana Museum opens in city

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday inaugurated the newly constructed Toshakhana Museum (Depository Museum) near Bangabandhu Military Museum at Bijoy Sharani in the city.

Under the supervision of Bangladesh Army, the five-storey modern state depository has been constructed on a 50,000 square feet area at a cost of Tk 80 crore.

All the gifts received by the President, the Prime Minister, ministers and officials in their official capacity are deposited to the Toshakhana under the supervision and maintenance of the Cabinet Division. The state gifts shall be preserved here for public display.

Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, PM's Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin and Engineering Chief of Bangladesh Army Major General Siddiqur Rahman Sarkar also spoke on the occasion.

Bangabandhu's youngest daughter Sheikh Rehana, Cabinet members, PM's advisers, members of diplomatic corps, the chiefs of the three services and senior civil and military officials attended the function chaired by Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam.

Emphasizing the importance of proper preservation of all the gifts received by the state dignitaries at home and abroad, the Premier said all those gifts are state property that brought dignity and honor for the country. "So, those gifts should be properly preserved."

Sheikh Hasina lamented that many gifts, documents inscribed with her name and 'Boat' (electoral symbol of Awami League) and many rare photographs were destroyed during the BNP-Jamaat regime.

After the Liberation War, she said, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken initiatives to establish a Toshakhana for preservation of the gift received from home and abroad.

Under his directives, the Premier said, Toshakhana (maintenance and administration) Rules 1974 was formulated and Toshakhana was established at Bangabhaban.

Turning to the country's development issue, the she stressed the need for upholding the dignity of the nation by building Bangladesh as a hunger- and poverty-free prosperous country.

"Bangabandhu not only had given us independence, but also the dignity as an independent nation. So, we'll have to build the country as a hunger- and poverty-free, developed and prosperous Sonar Bangla. We've been working relentlessly with this goal in mind," she said.

The Prime Minister said the lifestyle of people has improved during the tenure of her government over the last 10 years. "We want to improve their lifestyle further."

Sheikh Hasina said the Golden Jubilee of Independence will be celebrated freeing the country from poverty and hunger, and Bangladesh will be built as a developed nation by 2041.