An investigation has found a series of irregularities in the establishment of the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum, including a potential conflict of interest involving former cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki.
The findings are based on an investigation by TIMES of Bangladesh, which reviewed government documents, recruitment notices and conducted interviews with officials and public administration experts involved in the project.
According to the investigation, Farooki appointed himself chairman of the museum’s governing board while serving as cultural affairs adviser with ministerial rank in the interim government — a move governance experts say raises serious ethical concerns.
The July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum was conceived by the interim administration to preserve documents, artefacts and testimonies related to the July–August 2024 mass uprising that led to the fall of the government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Initially, officials planned to establish the museum as a branch of the Bangladesh National Museum. However, the proposal was later changed to create an independent institution — a decision critics say was influenced by Farooki during his tenure as cultural affairs adviser.
On 13 November 2025, the government issued an ordinance formally establishing the museum. A development project worth about Tk96 crore was subsequently approved under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
Under Section 8 of the ordinance, the museum is to be governed by a 15-member board led by a “distinguished expert” drawn from fields such as education, history, literature or culture.
However, a government gazette published on 3 February — only days before the national elections — announced the formation of the governing board and named Farooki himself as chairman.
Governance experts say the move could represent a conflict of interest because Farooki was still serving as cultural affairs adviser with ministerial rank in the interim government when the appointment was made.
“If someone holds the position of adviser with ministerial status, taking the top post of an institution under the same ministry is clearly a conflict of interest,” said Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh.
“He may personally be qualified, but determining eligibility criteria in a way that benefits oneself is not appropriate for someone in such a position,” he added.
Further questions have also been raised about the museum’s recruitment rules.
Officials said the Ministry of Public Administration had originally drafted recruitment guidelines for 107 positions under the museum. According to officials familiar with the process, Farooki rejected those rules and instead initiated a new framework through the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, which at the time was overseen by interim government law adviser Asif Nazrul.
Officials involved in the process say the revised rules relaxed educational qualifications and other eligibility requirements. Critics argue that the earlier criteria might have prevented Farooki himself from qualifying for the governing board.
TIMES contacted Asif Nazrul for comment but did not receive a response.
Concerns have also been raised about the recruitment timeline.
A job advertisement issued on 29 January 2025 for 96 positions gave applicants only seven days to submit their applications, setting the deadline on 4 February.
Government recruitment guidelines typically allow at least 21 days for applications.
A senior official at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the accelerated schedule was unusual.
“It appears the recruitment process was rushed while the adviser was still in office,” the official said.
The ordinance governing the museum also introduced a clause allowing recruitment conditions to be relaxed for “individuals with special qualifications”.
Critics say such provisions could open the door to arbitrary appointments.
The wording of the job advertisement itself also raised questions among public administration experts.
Applicants were asked whether they “carry the spirit of July in your heart” and whether they believe the uprising created the possibility of a “new Bangladesh”.
Experts say such language is rarely used in formal government recruitment notices.
There were also allegations that authorities planned to conduct recruitment through oral examinations alone because of time constraints, despite written examinations being the standard procedure in government hiring.
Public administration expert and former secretary AKM Abdul Awal Mazumdar said bypassing written examinations would undermine transparency.
“Regardless of time constraints, written examinations are essential for government recruitment,” he said.
“Without them, the process becomes vulnerable to irregularities and corruption.”
Documents reviewed by TIMES also raise questions about the composition of the recruitment selection committees.
Under public administration rules, such committees are typically chaired by officials at deputy secretary or joint secretary level.
However, Farooki appointed comparatively junior officials from the ministry, including senior assistant secretary Azam Uddin Talukder and assistant secretary Sekandar Ali Khan.
Sources in the ministry said both officers were promoted officials rather than career cadre officers.
Two officials from the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy — production department director Daniel Afzalur Rahman and theatre and film department director Deepak Kumar Goswami — were also included as committee members.
Critics say they could instead have been invited as co-opted members rather than appointed as formal members of the recruitment committee.
Financial questions have also emerged regarding a contract awarded under the museum project.
Documents indicate that a company named Minhaj Trade International was contracted to produce 19 short films for the museum at a cost of about Tk5.23 crore.
Film industry figures told TIMES they were unaware of any previous film productions by the firm.
Some critics have alleged the company could be linked to Farooki or his associates, although no documentary evidence supporting the claim has been publicly presented.
Analysts say the allegations merit investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Officials say the recruitment drive has attracted strong interest, with about 13,000 applications submitted so far. Around 1,200 candidates have been shortlisted for interviews.
TIMES attempted to contact Mostofa Sarwar Farooki several times for comment but received no response.
A detailed list of the allegations was also sent to him by text message, but he did not reply.
