Munshi Abdur Rauf memorial museum cum library: No power supply as yet [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

Munshi Abdur Rauf memorial museum cum library: No power supply as yet

Local December 13, 2016

The time when Bir Shreshtha Munshi Abdur Rauf Memorial Museum and Library will open and close is much more a subject of whim than a timetable when river erosion is a constant threat to the memorial structure.
The government in 2008 built the museum cum library at the birth place of the valiant freedom fighter at Salamotpur under Modhukhali upazila in Faridpur to preserve his memories but there is only a few things belonging to him on display.
The museum cum library was built as part of constructing seven memorial museums and libraries at birthplaces of the seven Bir Shreshthas.
The roads leading to the museum are in a bad shape, which dissuades the visitors from venturing a journey, while the memorial structure as well as the village renamed Rauf Nagar are still to get power connection, locals have alleged.
In summer, the visitors from other parts of the district do not feel inclined to stay inside the museum and library in the absence of electricity.
Locals have alleged that although the museum and library should remain open from 9:00am to 5:00pm, the temporarily appointed caretaker and assistant librarian open and close it at their whim.
Kazi Mohammad Mohsin, who lives in the locality, said the visitors were irked as people working at the museum hardly followed the official timetable.
Mushi Saidur Rahman, assistant librarian of the museum and library, said that the establishment remains open in the official hours.
‘Sometimes we keep it closed when there is no visitor,’ he said.
He lamented that they had fans and lights in place but there was no power connection.
Mushi Saidur Rahman, also cousin of bir sreshtha Rauf, said that the museum was under constant threat of erosion by the River Madhumati, now only a few hundred yards away from the establishment.
There are several thousand books in the library but no significant memorials pieces used by Abdur Rauf at the museum.
Modhukhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Lutfunnahar said they had a plan to provide power connections and repair the roads.
‘Work of providing power connection to the museum will begin soon,’ she assured.
Abdur Rauf was born in 1943.
On April 8 during War of Independence, Pakistan army with speed boats and launches launched a surprise attack on the freedom fighters stationed at Bakchhari under Naniarchar upazila of Rangamati and surrounded the freedom fighters.
Rauf while providing his fellows a cover to retreat embraced martyrdom as enemy mortar shell fell upon him.
Fellow warriors later recovered his body and buried him on a hillock near the Naniarchar shrimp canal.
The Bangladesh Rifles promoted him posthumously to the rank of Honorary Lance Nayek in 1973.