From Lamphrang Nongspung
DHAKA, Feb 18: The Bangladesh government has no official record that the legendary Khasi freedom fighter, U Tirot Sing Syiem was kept in the old Dhaka Central Jail.
Dhaka has taken up a project to build a jail museum, the first of its kind in the country, on a nine-acre area of the old jail complex. A park and two museums are planned there.
According to the project proposal, the complex will also have a multiplex, swimming pool, multi-purpose building, food court, flower shops, bookshops, water fountain, mosque, canopy at the main jail gate, and a school.
The jail authorities revealed the plan to a state delegation that visited the old jail. Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar led the delegation that included Arts and Culture Minister Paul Lyngdoh, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, State Planning Board chairman Metbah Lyngdoh, Adviser to the Chief Minister Hamletson Dohling, and former UPSC chairman and noted historian David Syiemlieh among others.
The jail was shifted to the Keraniganj area in 2016. The old complex, where a Mughal fort stood till the 19th century, used to house freedom fighters and foreign political prisoners.
After inspecting the old jail complex, Dhar told reporters that the local authorities informed them that they did not have any official records about the incarceration of U Tirot Sing.
“We were also told that they will be preserving this area as a museum. The work is under progress,” he said.
Dhar said the Meghalaya government will be officially writing to the Bangladesh government to reserve a space for U Tirot Sing.
“We will be preparing a detailed report to establish that the Khasi freedom fighter was kept here between 1833 and 1835. We were assured by the jail authorities that they will revisit the documents to find out if there are any official records of U Tirot Sing Syiem,” he said.
He said a space for the Khasi freedom fighter in the proposed museum can attract people from Meghalaya to the Bangladesh capital.
Paul Lyngdoh said the delegation requested the jail authorities to reserve a space in the new museum for U Tirot Sing. “We will also be sending a formal proposal for a memorial for the Khasi freedom fighter in the cell where foreign prisoners were kept. We will seek the help of Prof Syiemlieh to identify the place in the jail where he was kept. It will be a great honour if we can install a bust or any form of memorial in his name,” he said.
Dhaka Central Jail was the largest prison in Bangladesh located in the old section of Dhaka.
Under British rule, the Mughal fort in this section was renovated and converted into a jail in the early years of the 19th century. Until 1836, the Kotwali Police Station was co-located here.
Records from 1833 show that the capacity of the jail at that time was around 800. The jail was later upgraded to a central jail for the erstwhile East Bengal.