Impact of COVID-19 on Cultural Heritage Based Museum in Bangladesh: A Case Study of Rabindra Kachari Bari, Shahazadpur, Sirajganj

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the global tourism industry. In Bangladesh context tourists from local and abroad cancelled their booking due to corona pandemic. The objective of this study is to get an idea of the impact of the COVID-19 on the cultural tourism industry in Bangladesh. To analyze the impact of COVID-19 on tourism sector in Bangladesh perspective, Rarindra Kachari Bari (Memorial of Rabindranath Tagore) located at Shahzadpur in Sirajganj district has been selected. Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel Laureate is a unique name in the context of world literature. There is a house called as 'Rabindra Kachari Bari' in memory of Rabindranath Tagore at Shahjadpur in Sirajganj district which is currently being used as a museum under the Bangladesh Archaeological Department. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum has been closed for several months since March 19, 2020, to September 15, 2020, as per government directives. Therefore, the visitor did not get a chance to enter the museum; as a result, the museum has not been able to earn money from the visitors. Since it is considered a cultural heritage under the Department of Archaeology, this study reviews the past and the present number of visitors to the museum's financial losses due to the effects of the COVID-19. The statements of the museum have been collected to analyze the economic context of Rabindra Kachari Bari. Besides that, after opening the museum in Corona pandemic, interviews have been conducted based on the attendance of visitors. Besides that, Key Informant Interview (KII) was undertaken to get expert opinions and formulate some recommendations for the visitors during Corona pandemic.