Rajshahi, July 8 (V7N) - Rajshahi’s planetarium, constructed at a cost of 371 crore taka, has been facing a severe shortage of visitors since its inception. As a result, the project has remained largely underutilized for the past two years and is operating at a significant loss.
 
According to the Public Works Department, construction of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Planetarium began in 2018 in front of Shahid Kamruzzaman Park in Rajshahi, costing 232 crore taka. Including the land price, the total investment reached nearly 371 crore taka. The facility features a 200-seat multipurpose hall, a 60-seat conference room, a scientific library, a planetarium cafeteria, a snacks bar, and parking for 85 vehicles. It also houses the country’s largest planetarium dome, a 5G hall, and a modern observatory telescope—marking a first in Bangladesh. However, despite having several valuable telescopes, the planetarium currently lacks operators.
 
The planetarium remains closed on Wednesdays and operates from 9 am to 6 pm on other days. Entry fees are set at 30 taka, with a one-hour show costing 100 taka. Visitors can also enjoy immersive ride simulators, 5D movies, and digital scientific exhibit galleries for 50 taka. Although the planetarium plans to hold five shows daily, actual shows range between one and three per day, often attracting only 10 to 15 visitors per show.
 
Financial reports for the 2024-25 fiscal year reveal that the planetarium generated only about 4.88 million taka from ticket sales and exhibitions, while expenses reached 12.06 million taka. The annual electricity bill alone ranges from 7.2 to 8 million taka, with the most recent bill in May totaling 863,329 taka. Additional costs include salaries for staff and security personnel.
 
Visitor Naeem Islam shared, "I heard from my parents that they saw a planetarium in Dhaka during their childhood. Hearing there was one here in Rajshahi, I came to visit. But the main show, the planetarium, doesn’t run unless there are enough visitors. So I had to just wander around."
 
Student Raisha Naznin commented, "This was my first visit to the planetarium. I didn’t find much to see here, and the ticket prices are high. Honestly, the interior and 3D exhibits were impressive, but lowering the ticket price would attract more visitors."
 
Ebadat Hossain, Deputy Director of Rajshahi Planetarium, said, "We are working to popularize the planetarium. We have already contacted schools and colleges to encourage educational visits. We hope it will become more popular soon."
 
Despite its state-of-the-art facilities, the Rajshahi Planetarium’s struggle with visitor turnout and financial sustainability highlights the challenges of maintaining such a large-scale science education center in the region.
 
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