Bangladesh’s Minister for Cultural Affairs, Advocate Nitae Roy Chowdhury, has alleged that the Awami League government attempted to erase the historical legacy of late President Ziaur Rahman. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after visiting the Zia Memorial Museum in Chattogram’s Kazi Deuri area, he said that despite various efforts, the true history of Ziaur Rahman could not be erased. The minister emphasized that the nation’s identity depends on preserving its history and announced plans to restore and modernize the museum.

He stated that during the Awami League’s tenure, items such as the transmitter, table, and chair used by Ziaur Rahman to declare independence from Kalurghat Radio Centre were removed from the museum, but initiatives are now underway to return them. The government plans to preserve the room where Zia was killed, improve the museum’s landscape, and appoint an architect for modernization. Additional staff will be recruited, and earthquake safety measures will be implemented.

Chowdhury added that the government has a broader plan to integrate the Kalurghat Radio Centre and the Zia Memorial Museum under a unified heritage framework to honor Ziaur Rahman’s contributions.