Bangladesh Establishes Museum to Preserve Uprising History, Protect Detention Sites

Bangladesh has enacted the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum Act, 2026, establishing a dedicated museum to preserve and showcase the history of the July-August 2024 mass uprising and the subsequent anti-autocracy movement. The law, enacted on April 10, 2026, also empowers the museum to identify, preserve, and maintain secret detention centers where crimes against humanity allegedly occurred during the period of the "fascist government" from January 1, 2009, to August 5, 2024. These detention centers, if under organizational control, must be handed over to the museum and will operate as branch museums. The museum's functions include collecting, researching, and displaying historical artifacts and memorabilia related to the uprising, the fall of the government, and broader historical events such as the Language Movement and the 1971 Liberation War. It will also document anti-democratic activities and the rise of fascism. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the museum on August 5, 2026, with public access beginning the following day. The museum's head office is located at Gono Bhaban in Dhaka. The act stipulates significant penalties, including up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to Tk 10 lakh, for damaging immovable artifacts associated with the museum. The law also allows for the exchange of artifacts with other national and international institutions for display and preservation, and grants authorities the power to inspect locations where uprising-related artifacts may be held.