Crowds at July Museum, visitors unhappy over ticket prices

Visitors expressed dissatisfaction over ticket prices on the first day the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum in Sher e Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, was opened to the general public. In particular, they described the Tk 50 admission fee for adults as ‘too high.’ Many said there should have been an opportunity for free entry at least for the first few days after the opening.

During a visit to the museum on Thursday afternoon, it was seen that there was a crowd of visitors in front of the museum despite the rain. Many waited outside for some time because of the heavy rain, but as soon as the rain eased, visitors entered the museum one by one.

At the entrance ticket counter, tickets were being sold for Tk 20 for children aged 1 to 12 and Tk 50 for men and women over the age of 12. Many visitors expressed dissatisfaction over the prices.

Abdul Gaffar came from Barura in Cumilla. He said, “I thought it would be open to everyone on the first day. So I left home around 8 am and reached here at noon. When I arrived, I saw a huge crowd, and on top of that, I had to wait for a long time because of the rain. I think there should have been an opportunity for free entry at least for the first few days.”

‘Aynaghar’ has been included in the July Museum

His friend Faizullah also came with him. He said they had taken leave from their madrasa and come to visit the museum with five friends. He said, “Tk 50 is too much for students like us. If it were Tk 10 or Tk 20, everyone could come easily. Charging Tk 50 seemed a little too much.” Another of his friends said, “We are students. It would have been good if there had been a separate discount for us.”

Visitor Fatema Begum also expressed a similar opinion. She said, “The admission fee has become a little too high. If it were more affordable, it would be easier for ordinary people, especially visitors coming with their families.”

A man named Syed Abdullah, who identified himself as a July fighter, said he had no concern about the ticket price. The price is fine. However, he requested that admission be kept free for a day or two, or during the current month, to mark July.

Abdullah’s home is in Khulna. He lives in the Savar area.

Despite the dissatisfaction over ticket prices, there was no shortage of interest among visitors. Ignoring the rain, people from different districts gathered at the museum to learn about the memories and history of the July Mass Uprising. Many said the museum would play an important role in presenting the history of the mass uprising to future generations.