Barguna Liberation War Museum: Looted, Deserted and Locked for Over a Year

 Daily Seshkatha News

Barguna, Bangladesh:

The Barguna Liberation War Museum—once a vital centre for preserving the district’s history of sacrifice and heroism—has remained abandoned, empty, and padlocked for more than a year. The museum was vandalised and looted on August 5 last year amid nationwide unrest following the fall of the Awami League government.

What was once a vibrant archive of Liberation War memories has now become a symbol of neglect.

The museum previously showcased more than 300 rare wartime photographs, collected by local organisers since 1995. These photos were regularly displayed at major national events across the district. The museum also preserved historic books, documents, and a range of memorabilia used by freedom fighters—including rifles, uniforms, cooking pots and various battlefield items.

Beyond Liberation War artefacts, the museum had housed several archaeological pieces from the Shahi Mosque in Betagi, the historic Majidbaria Mosque in Mirzaganj, Patuakhali, and relics from the temple built by Parbati Ranjan Mukhopadhyay in Kaunia, Betagi. Antique radios, televisions, and nearly a thousand metal and paper currencies from different countries were also part of its unique collection.

One of the museum’s most remarkable exhibits was a 48-foot whale skeleton, recovered from Joyalbhanga in Taltali in 1990—an attraction that drew visitors and researchers alike.

However, many of these invaluable items remain missing since the looting incident. Authorities have yet to confirm how many artefacts have been recovered or whether any investigation has made progress.

The Barguna Liberation War Museum began as a Liberation War gallery in 2013 in a room at the Barguna District Shilpakala Academy. It was formalised as an institution in 2018 and upgraded to a full-fledged museum on November 30, 2019. For years, it served as an educational space, especially on national days, when students and visitors flocked to learn about the region’s role in the 1971 Liberation War.

Today, the museum stands silent—its doors locked, its shelves empty, and its future uncertain.

Local residents, freedom fighters, and cultural activists have expressed concern over the prolonged abandonment and demanded immediate restoration, recovery of the stolen items, and reopening of the museum to protect the district’s historical identity.

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