Many of the Dhaka city sites and structures, which are more than 100 years old and have historical, architectural, aesthetical and cultural significance, are yet to be enlisted as archaeological sites.
As per the provision in the Antiquities Act 1968, the Department of Archaeology can consider enlisting a historic or archaeological edifice only if it is 100-year-old.
Section 2(b) of the act says, “Ancient’ means belonging or relating to any period prior to the preceding hundred years while (c) stipulates that ‘antiquity’ means (i) any ancient product of human activity, movable or immovable, illustrative of art, architecture, craft, custom, literature, morals, politics, religion, warfare, science or of any aspect of civilisation or culture, (ii) any ancient object or site of historical, ethnographical, anthropological, military or scientific interest.’
A per section 2 (g), “Immovable antiquity’ means an antiquity of any of the following descriptions, namely (i) any archaeological deposits on land or under water, (ii) any archaeological mound, tumulus, burial place or place of interment, or any ancient garden, structure, building, erection or other work of historical, archaeological, military or scientific interest, (iii) any rock, cave or other natural object of historical, archaeological, artistic or scientific interest or containing sculpture, engraving, inscription or painting of such interest.’
The section 2(1) further says, “Any gate, door, window, panelling dados, ceiling, inscription, wall-painting, wood work, iron work or sculpture or other thing which is attached or fastened to an immovable antiquity.’
Archaeology department officials, historians, archaeologists and green activists criticised the delay in the declaration as in its absence many of the sites of archaeological importance have remained unguarded and unprotected from the grabbers, damage and destruction.
According to the Department of Archaeology, at present it ownes 398 heritage sites and among them 33 archaeological sites are in the Dhaka city.
The city sites are Sat Gambuz Mosque, the tomb near Sat Gambuz Mosque, Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque, Tomb of Colombo Sahib, Tomb of Josaph Paget, Bara Katra, Tomb of Nawab Nasarat Jang, Tomb of Nawab Shamsud Daulah, Tomb of Nawab Quamarul Daulah, Tomb of Nawab Gaziuddin Haider, Lalbagh Fort, Gate way of the South East corner of Lalbagh Fort, Lalbagh Fort Mosque, Reception and Hammam of Lalbagh Fort, Tomb of Pari Bibi, Choto Katra, three-storey gate of Choto Katra, Tomb of Bibi Champa, Haji Khawja Shahbaj Mosque, Tomb of Haji Khawja Shahbaj, Musa Khan Mosque, Nimtali Deury, Old Eidgah at Dhanmandi, North Brook Hall, Rose Garden, Ruplal House, Nawab Bari Main Gate, Jamindar Bari at Sutrapur, Shankhanidhi House, Shankhanidhi Dance House, Bhajahari Lodge, Radha Krishna Temple and Beraid Bhuyanpara Jame Mosque (Ancient Portion).
On the other hand, the Public Works Department in 2009 listed 93 heritage buildings and four areas in Dhaka city for preservation many of them were more than 100 years old.
The list has been prepared in consideration of historical, aesthetic, scientific, social, cultural, religious, political and heritage importance of the structures and sites.
Safiqul Islam, director general of Department of Archaeology, said listing the sites was continuous process and would be updated.
‘For the protection of the sites, it is important the original state and structure was not distorted,’ he added.
Historian Muntasir Mamoon said that no government had paid any attention to preserving historical the archaeological sites of the country.
Sharif Uddin Ahmed of the history department at Dhaka University said there would be hardly any testimony to the history, tradition and lifestyle of the country if these places were not preserved.
Shah Sufi Mustafizur Rahman of archaeology of department of Jahangirnagar University, said many of the structures were more than 100 years old, but they are not enlisted as archaeological sites.
Among them are Binat Bibir Masjid, St Thomas Church at Johnson Road, St Gregory’s Church, Laxmibazaar, Armenian Church, Holy Rosary Church, Malik Ambar Majsid at Tejgaon, Hayat Bepari Masjid, Nava Rai Lane Masjid, Churrihatta Masjid, St Gregory’s School, Pogose School, old building of Jagannath College (now a day university), Mir Jumla Gate at Doyel Chattar, Greek Memorial at Teachers Student Centre of Dhaka University, Burdwan House of Bangla Academy and Curzon Hall and many others.
-With New Age input
