A REPORT published in an English daily on Friday said that the governments which came to power since the independence have failed to complete the archaeological survey of all districts over the past 41years. It completed the survey in 40 out of 60 districts since 1975. If the survey continues at this space it may take 16 more years to create the national inventory of the country’s past heritage which is important for our future generation to know of our past.
Article 24 of the Constitution made it a mandatory function of the government. It said “The state shall adopt measures for the protection against disfigurement, damage or removal of all monuments, objects or places of special artistic or historic importance or interests.” But our governments have so far proved its lack of capacity to produce a total inventory to show where important historic sites, monuments and relics exit and make plan how to preserve the historic monuments.
The Department of Archaeology began the survey in Bogra in 1975 and completed survey in Chuadanga and Kushtia this year. But the archaeological survey could not be completed in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Brahmanbaira, and such other places that included 20 districts together.
In the view of Sufi Mostafizur Rahman, Professor of Archaeology of Jahangirnagar University, who takes interest and lead teams in archeological digging, it is unfortunate while he blamed the successive governments for lack of enough interest to complete it. It appears that the government is always interested in big plans with big money but small annual allocations to complete the countrywide inventory is not forthcoming. It is a matter of outlook. It is also unacceptable that the Department of Archaeology remains handicapped over the years for lack of efficient manpower.
Bangladesh inherits rich heritage of archaeological sites and historic monuments. Rise and fall of many dynasties left their impact in various parts of Bangladesh and helped to shape the rise of new civilization over the ruin of the past. Discovery of archaeological remains of a rich civilization at Wari Bateswar in Narshingdi give insight about our land and people at the middle age. Mainamati in Comilla, Mohasthangarh in Bogra, Buddhist monaslery in Bikrampur are some other archeological sites that opened our link with the past.
Bangladesh has vast archeological treasures scattered all over the land and it is important to produce the comprehensive inventory to make the history of the nation complete. It highlights the country’s position to global civilization and then all nations also use them as tourists’ spots. In our view we must not delay the preparation of inventory any more.
Article 24 of the Constitution made it a mandatory function of the government. It said “The state shall adopt measures for the protection against disfigurement, damage or removal of all monuments, objects or places of special artistic or historic importance or interests.” But our governments have so far proved its lack of capacity to produce a total inventory to show where important historic sites, monuments and relics exit and make plan how to preserve the historic monuments.
The Department of Archaeology began the survey in Bogra in 1975 and completed survey in Chuadanga and Kushtia this year. But the archaeological survey could not be completed in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Brahmanbaira, and such other places that included 20 districts together.
In the view of Sufi Mostafizur Rahman, Professor of Archaeology of Jahangirnagar University, who takes interest and lead teams in archeological digging, it is unfortunate while he blamed the successive governments for lack of enough interest to complete it. It appears that the government is always interested in big plans with big money but small annual allocations to complete the countrywide inventory is not forthcoming. It is a matter of outlook. It is also unacceptable that the Department of Archaeology remains handicapped over the years for lack of efficient manpower.
Bangladesh inherits rich heritage of archaeological sites and historic monuments. Rise and fall of many dynasties left their impact in various parts of Bangladesh and helped to shape the rise of new civilization over the ruin of the past. Discovery of archaeological remains of a rich civilization at Wari Bateswar in Narshingdi give insight about our land and people at the middle age. Mainamati in Comilla, Mohasthangarh in Bogra, Buddhist monaslery in Bikrampur are some other archeological sites that opened our link with the past.
Bangladesh has vast archeological treasures scattered all over the land and it is important to produce the comprehensive inventory to make the history of the nation complete. It highlights the country’s position to global civilization and then all nations also use them as tourists’ spots. In our view we must not delay the preparation of inventory any more.
