Sheikh Hasina’s Official Dhaka Residence Is Being Turned Into A ‘Revolution Museum’: Here’s Why

Last Updated:August 05, 2025, 14:26 IST

A year later, the Ganabhaban palace, the former official residence of Bangladesh’s ousted PM Sheikh Hasina, is being turned into a museum as lasting reminder of her autocratic rule

People gather around the residence of Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on August 5, 2024. (EPA-EFE/STR VIA PTI)

On August 5 last year, flag-waving crowds on the rooftop of the Dhaka palace after PM Sheikh Hasina fled by helicopter to India were a defining image of the culmination of student-led protests that toppled her government.

A year later, the Ganabhaban palace, the former official residence of Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister, is being turned into a museum as a lasting reminder of her autocratic rule.

What are the plans for museum?

On October 28, 2024, Interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced plans to transform the storm damaged Ganabhaban palace into a museum.

Yunus described the museum’s purpose as preserving “memories of her misrule and the people’s anger when they removed her from power".

During his tour of the damaged palace, Yunus emphasised that the museum should serve as a memorial to the revolution that ousted Hasina and intended to feature exhibits of repression under her 15-year rule

The exhibits are expected to include a replica of the infamous “House of Mirrors" (Aynaghar)—a secret detention center allegedly used during Hasina’s tenure to torture political dissidents.

What happened to Sheikh Hasina?

Sheikh Hasina has been living in exile in India since she fled Bangladesh in early August 2024 amid massive student-led protests.

Bangladesh’s interim government under Yunus has opened numerous legal cases against her: As of September 2024, she faces 152 charges, including murder, genocide, crimes against humanity and abduction. An arrest warrant was issued in October 2024, and her speeches have been banned from publication inside Bangladesh since December.

Over March 2025, courts froze over 150 bank accounts linked to her and her family, and began confiscating assets across countries including the UK, US, Malaysia, Singapore, and Cayman Islands.

On August 3, 2025, Bangladesh’s Crimes Tribunal formally began Hasina’s trial in absentia, charging her with crimes against humanity for the violent crackdown during the protests that ousted her. The tribunal has begun calling witnesses, including former officials, and the prosecution is seeking maximum penalties.

A leaked audio recording, verified by BBC, allegedly captures Hasina ordering security forces to “shoot" protesters on sight, linked to around 1,400 deaths during the 2024 unrest.

The interim government formally requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina to face charges. However, India has not complied, invoking legal protections under the extradition treaty.

Hasina on Tuesday described her fall as the “fall of democracy." In an open letter to the people of Bangladesh, she condemned the regime that came to power following the 2024 takeover.

What next for Bangladesh?

Bangladesh’s next general election is scheduled for early April 2026, likely on a day within the first half of April. This commitment was formally announced by interim leader Muhammad Yunus in a televised address on June 6, 2025.

With Agency Inputs

News explainers Sheikh Hasina’s Official Dhaka Residence Is Being Turned Into A ‘Revolution Museum’: Here’s Why

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