Ganabhaban

Ganabhaban
Gate of Ganabhaban
General information
Location	Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka
Country	Bangladesh

The Ganabhaban (Bengali: গণভবন, lit. People's House) is the official residence of the prime minister of Bangladesh, which is located on the north corner of the National Parliament House in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.^[1] After independence, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman worked at Bangabhaban, which is located on Dilkusha Avenue.^[2]

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina moved into the Ganabhaban on 6 March 2010 more than a year after she had been elected.^[1] Hasina moved from Sudha Sadan to Jamuna State Guest House in February 2009 on the advice of intelligence agencies and the Special Security Force.^[3] She was staying at the Jamuna State Guest House while the Ganabhaban was being renovated.^[1] She hosted the wedding of three women who were victims of the 2010 Dhaka fire in Nimtoli at the Ganabhaban.^[4] U Pha Thann, Ambassador of Myanmar to Bangladesh, visited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and discussed the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.^[5]

In October 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina invited former prime minister Khaleda Zia to the Ganabhaban to discuss the 2014 national elections.^[6]

A constable of the Special Security and Protection Battalion, guarding the Ganabhaban, was shot accidentally by a colleague in February 2018.^[7]

Politicians of the Awami League and affiliated bodies have special passes to access the Ganabhaban.^[8] In September 2019, the special passes of the president and general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League were suspended.^[8]

Bangladesh police stopped victims of 2012 Dhaka garment factory fire from reaching the Ganabhaban in November 2020.^[9]

In April 2022, Sohel Taj announced plans to march to the Ganabhaban.^[10]

During the 2024 Bangladesh anti-government protests, the Ganabhaban was stormed and looted by protesters after Sheikh Hasina's resignation on 5 August 2024, who stole many things from the building.^[11] Animals like fish and rabbits were taken as well, with some protesters even eating food from the Ganabhaban's kitchen. Protesters also stole cash, sarees, jewelry and furniture.^[12]

However, later that day students came together and stopped the looting, they made a human chain and were able to recover about 80% of the looted items. Many also came forth and returned some of the animals and other items to the army who were guarding the Ganabhaban in the following days.^[13][14] Due to the damage to Ganabhaban, the Jamuna State Guest House was prepared for use as the official residence of incoming interim chief advisor Muhammad Yunus.^[15]

Unlike many other countries, it does not house the Prime Minister's Office, which is located at Tejgaon in Dhaka and considered as a ministry of the government and among other duties provides clerical, security, and other support to the prime minister, governs intelligence affairs and NGOs, and arranges protocol and ceremonies.

The prime minister exchanges Eid greetings with people including party leaders, professionals, senior civil and military officials judges and diplomats at Gana Bhaban. On every Eid Day the gate of the Gono Bhaban is opened for visitors at 9:00am when people from all walks of life start coming after their Eid prayers and wait in queue to meet the prime minister.^[16]

It is on the north west corner of the Mirpur Road and Lake Road crossing and is a five-minute walk from the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The area is one of the highest security zones of Dhaka. Both the Prime Minister's Office and the Parliament of Bangladesh are a little way off Ganabhaban.

The government assigned Gana Bhaban to Sheikh Hasina, then prime minister, under the security act for family members of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The law was passed by parliament on 13 October 2009, for state security for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's immediate family members.^{[citation needed]}

Media related to Ganabhaban at Wikimedia Commons