The Museum No One Knows Name Of

Located on the ground floor of the Parishankhyan Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Museum exists as a testament to neglect and indifference. It was inaugurated on September 19, 2013, by the then Planning Minister, retired Air Vice Marshal A.K. Khandaker.

While the exterior appears somewhat presentable, the situation inside is very poor. Upon entering, it feels as though you have stumbled into a dumping ground for old machinery. Few people ever visit; there is no promotion or public discussion regarding the site, a fact reflected in the visitor logs. Records show that only 232 people have visited the museum in the last three years and four months.

On a recent Monday, two officials from the BBS Computer Wing were seen on duty. In a workspace almost entirely devoid of visitors, they spend their days in idleness.

The nameplate to the left of the main entrance is difficult to read because many of the letters have fallen off. Inside, silence is a constant companion in the dim lighting. At first, no officials were in sight. After walking a short distance, a female officer appeared in the center aisle. When asked about the lack of adequate lighting, she claimed there were government instructions to reduce electricity usage.

However, the light is so sparse that it was impossible to read the description of a massive machine located in the middle of the room. As a result, one has to leave without ever knowing the purpose of the equipment. Rowshan Ara, an Editing and Coding Assistant at BBS who was present, admitted that the bulb in that section has been broken for a long time.

A thick layer of dust covers the exhibited machinery. Even the information boards are so filthy that the text is illegible, and spiders have spun webs across several displays.

Assistant Statistical Officer Md. Shah Alam was found talking to a colleague in a small room inside the museum. Upon learning he was speaking to a journalist, he became more cautious. He stated that Kabir Uddin, the Director of the BBS Computer Wing, oversees the museum but is currently in Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj pilgrimage.
When asked about the reasons behind the museum's dire state, the official refused to comment. However, he mentioned that local and foreign students occasionally visit. He also admitted that there is absolutely no promotion for the museum. He denied permission to take photographs, forcing the collection of some images secretly for the purpose of this report.

This raises the question: what exactly is in the Statistics Museum? Why would people be interested in visiting? The answer lies in its collection. One of Bangladesh's first two computers is housed there. The computer is massive, resembling a modern-day large generator. It consists of six large separate units with two monitors on either side, requiring two people to operate it simultaneously. The Bureau of Statistics used this machine from 1970 to 1980.

The current generation, comfortable with tablets and laptops, might find it hard to imagine that this was once a computer. Seeing it makes the evolution of technology vividly clear. Additionally, the museum houses a cyclostyle copier machine, which was used to produce color prints from typewriters until 1983.

The collection also includes an optical mark reader that remained functional until 2001, a plate maker machine used during the 1980s and 90s, a line printer operated until 2010, and an ammonia printer used until 1990. Also on display are a digitizer used until 2001, a data processor unit, several large Facit calculators, and various other obsolete machines. Due to a lack of maintenance, these items are deteriorating day by day. It is worth noting that the museum only features old machinery used by the BBS; those expecting to find historical statistical documents will be disappointed.

Regarding the state of the museum, Md. Ariful Islam, Director of the BBS FA & MIS Wing, acknowledged the poor conditions. However, he remarked, "Everything will be fixed once you journalists start visiting frequently." He concluded by offering an assurance that the museum would receive attention soon.