The National Museum of Science and Technology in Agargaon became a hub of diplomatic and scientific celebration on Sunday as a bust of Yuri Gagarin was unveiled to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the first human spaceflight.
The event, which drew a large crowd of students, researchers, and diplomats, served as a powerful reminder of international cooperation and the universal dream of space exploration.
Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Alexander Khozin, inaugurated the bust, describing Gagarin not merely as a cosmonaut but as a "symbol of humanity."
He emphasized that science knows no borders and that Gagarin’s historic achievement in 1961 remains a shared milestone for all of humankind.
The ceremony was jointly organized by the Russian Friendship Society with Bangladesh, the Russian Association for International Cooperation, and the Russian House in Dhaka.
Mia Sattar, President of the Russian Friendship Society with Bangladesh, characterized the sculpture as a symbol of the future, noting that bilateral ties between the two nations are steadily strengthening in the fields of science, education, and culture.
Speakers at the event, including Alexandra Khlevnoy, Director of the Russian House, and Munira Sultana, Director General of the National Museum of Science and Technology, highlighted the potential for future collaboration.
A recurring theme of the morning was the inspiring possibility that a Bangladeshi astronaut might one day travel to space, a prospect that sparked renewed hope among the attending youth.
The organizers expressed that the bust stands as an invitation to the next generation to advance scientific inquiry and break boundaries.
"Perhaps one day, from this very museum courtyard, a young mind will begin its journey toward the stars," they noted, underscoring the initiative's goal to inspire future space researchers.
