Mughal Era Mosque
Outcry over demolition
The authorities have been demolishing a 368-year-old mosque to erect a five-storey new one on DC Roy Road in Old Dhaka.
Located to the west of Mitford Hospital, the Mitford Kazi Sharif Mosque was constructed in AD 1643-44 during the Mughal period. A Persian stone inscription in a wall of the three-domed mosque shows that it was built by one Kazi Mohammad Sharif Multani.
Mosque committee sources said they were knocking down the ancient building with the help of some leaders of a local sporting club.
Earlier the authorities added two floors to the building, covering the main structure.
Contacted, prominent archaeologist AKM Zakaria condemned demolition of the historical structure.
“I strongly oppose tearing down the ancient building,” Zakaria said adding, he was not sure about whether the mosque was protected by the Department of Archeology.
-With The Daily Star input
