Dhaka, Aug 11 (bdnews24.com)–The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum has received a 'rare' picture of the country's founding father on Thursday, four days ahead of the National Mourning Day.
Food and disaster management minister Abdur Razzaque handed over the black and white photo of 1973 to the curator of the museum at a simple ceremony.
The picture that shows then the prime minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman talking to the volunteers of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) on wireless phone has been with the Disaster Management and Relief Division of the ministry since.
Sheikh Mujib was commissioning the wireless sets for the coastal-belt volunteers.
"We handed over the picture at the prime minister's request," the minister said, adding the prime minister saw the picture first time at the Food and Disaster Management ministry's exhibition stall during the recent digital innovation fair.
"She (Hasina) requested us if we could give the picture to the museum."
The minister also recalled Bangabandhu's 'visionary' steps in disaster management and preparedness.
"We are getting benefits of his (Bangabandhu's) pioneering programmes like CPP," Razzaque said. Sensing the future challenges of climate change the founding father had launched the programme with Red Crescent Society.
"The image is the embodiment of his charismatic leadership," he said.
"Today we have over 43,000 volunteers. They are so dedicated that 23 of them died while helping people during calamities," he said.
The museum curator Syed Siddikur Rahman said the picture would further add to the grace of the museum.
He said the museum contains rare collection of personal effects and photographs of Bangabandhu's lifetime.
The three-storied building in the Dhanmondi 32 also known as Bangabandhu Bhaban turned into a museum on Aug 14, 1994.
The liberation war hero lived in this house and was arrested on the night of Mar 25, 1971. He was brutally killed in that house on Aug 15, 1975.
The museum is open to public from 10am to 5pm from Tuesday to Thursday, except Wednesday.
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