Reza Mahmud :
The Dhaka City Museum known as ‘Dhaka Nagar Jadughar’ is enriched with ancient relics and heritage. Many historic materials, photos and other documents are displayed there, but very few people are aware of it.
Sources said, the museum was established on June 20 in 1987 at Panch Bhai Ghat Lane in old Dhaka. The Dhaka City Corporation took control of it on July 20 in 1996.
“When a museum has a fewer number of visitors, it is really shocking and painful. We are trying to improve the situation. The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has granted Tk 1 crore for the purpose. There is a plan to relocate the museum from the fifth floor to the ground floor soon in order to make it easy access to the visitors,” Khan Mohammad Billal, the Chief Executive of the DSCC told The New Nation on Thursday.
When this correspondent visited the museum yesterday, it was observed that some ancient samples are maintained there. There is a printing press there made in 1822 in England named Albiyon Press. It was set up in Dhaka by a Swiss Missionary in the year 1847.
Hashem Sufi, a Trusty of the museum found the press in a shabby room of a house in Old Dhaka in 1989. Since then it has been preserved here in the museum.
Some copper made old potteries used by the Nawabs are kept there. There are many ancient currencies of the Sultanate period of Bangla, the Mughal era and the British royal currencies. There are some leather made old water pots known as ‘Moshak’ of the old days.
It also has maintained some historic precious pictures, similar to the pictures of historic Lalbagh Kella (fort), Nawabs’ house of Dhaka, a old bridge with natural views at Tanti Bazar in Old Dhaka of 1824, and some old homes of Dhaka of 1816.
There are some pictures of Old Dhaka’s local leaders known as ‘Sardar’. Besides, pictures of Nawabs and their activities are also maintained there for the visitors, particularly students.
Experts said, the museum should be further enriched. It should be advertised, especially for the students, so that they can enrich their knowledge about our predecessors’ history. They said, most of the school and college students of the city have little idea about this museum.
“We are trying to develop the museum with the help of historians,” Khan Mohammad Billal said.
Munni Aktar, one of the staff of the museum, who was selling tickets to the visitors, said, the highest number of visitors on a single day is eight.
“On average, three to five persons visit the museum per day. It is really shocking for a nation with rich heritage,” she said.
The price of each ticket is Tk 2 per head. Everyday the museum earns Tk 10 only on average. In such a case, publicity by the print and the electronic media is required to draw more visitors.
There are one superintendent and three staff in the office, but most of them allegedly remained absent during office hours.
On Thursday, Jabed Ahmed, an employee of the city corporation, along with his wife visited the museum.
Jabed, who hails from Noakhali but lives in Dhaka, frequently goes to the museum to feel the ancient days of the Dhaka.
“Whenever I go to the museum, I have seen fewer visitors there. Most of the people of the city do not know about such a treasure place. It is the main cause of the fewer visitors,” Jabed said.
The Dhaka City Museum known as ‘Dhaka Nagar Jadughar’ is enriched with ancient relics and heritage. Many historic materials, photos and other documents are displayed there, but very few people are aware of it.
Sources said, the museum was established on June 20 in 1987 at Panch Bhai Ghat Lane in old Dhaka. The Dhaka City Corporation took control of it on July 20 in 1996.
“When a museum has a fewer number of visitors, it is really shocking and painful. We are trying to improve the situation. The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has granted Tk 1 crore for the purpose. There is a plan to relocate the museum from the fifth floor to the ground floor soon in order to make it easy access to the visitors,” Khan Mohammad Billal, the Chief Executive of the DSCC told The New Nation on Thursday.
When this correspondent visited the museum yesterday, it was observed that some ancient samples are maintained there. There is a printing press there made in 1822 in England named Albiyon Press. It was set up in Dhaka by a Swiss Missionary in the year 1847.
Hashem Sufi, a Trusty of the museum found the press in a shabby room of a house in Old Dhaka in 1989. Since then it has been preserved here in the museum.
Some copper made old potteries used by the Nawabs are kept there. There are many ancient currencies of the Sultanate period of Bangla, the Mughal era and the British royal currencies. There are some leather made old water pots known as ‘Moshak’ of the old days.
It also has maintained some historic precious pictures, similar to the pictures of historic Lalbagh Kella (fort), Nawabs’ house of Dhaka, a old bridge with natural views at Tanti Bazar in Old Dhaka of 1824, and some old homes of Dhaka of 1816.
There are some pictures of Old Dhaka’s local leaders known as ‘Sardar’. Besides, pictures of Nawabs and their activities are also maintained there for the visitors, particularly students.
Experts said, the museum should be further enriched. It should be advertised, especially for the students, so that they can enrich their knowledge about our predecessors’ history. They said, most of the school and college students of the city have little idea about this museum.
“We are trying to develop the museum with the help of historians,” Khan Mohammad Billal said.
Munni Aktar, one of the staff of the museum, who was selling tickets to the visitors, said, the highest number of visitors on a single day is eight.
“On average, three to five persons visit the museum per day. It is really shocking for a nation with rich heritage,” she said.
The price of each ticket is Tk 2 per head. Everyday the museum earns Tk 10 only on average. In such a case, publicity by the print and the electronic media is required to draw more visitors.
There are one superintendent and three staff in the office, but most of them allegedly remained absent during office hours.
On Thursday, Jabed Ahmed, an employee of the city corporation, along with his wife visited the museum.
Jabed, who hails from Noakhali but lives in Dhaka, frequently goes to the museum to feel the ancient days of the Dhaka.
“Whenever I go to the museum, I have seen fewer visitors there. Most of the people of the city do not know about such a treasure place. It is the main cause of the fewer visitors,” Jabed said.
