Vitorgarh
Archaeological heritage destruction continues
Ignoring a High Court ruling, several organisations and local people of Panchagarh are continuing to destroy country's archaeological heritage, experts said at a press conference yesterday.
Though the court ordered local administration to stop all illegal constructions within 25 square kilometres around Vitorgarh in Panchagarh, this is still ongoing, said Prof Shahnaz Husne Jahan.
“Vitorgarh, a treasure trove of antique structures, has not been declared as an archaeological site by the state. Thanks to the government's unawareness, some organisations are destroying the site,” she said.
She was addressing the press conference held at Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
The conference was jointly organised by National Archaeological Treasures Protection Council, Paribesh Bachao Andolan (Poba) and University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh (ULAB).
Dr MA Kamal Uri, convener of National Archaeological Treasures Protection Council, said, "I am doubtful about how effective the Antiquities Act introduced in 1976 is in today's context."
“The only difference the act made from the earlier 1968 Antiquities Act was the name change of East Pakistan to Bangladesh,” he added.
"In 2007, the then caretaker government ventured to send 289 artifacts to France in the name of displaying masterpieces over there. Had it not been stalled, it would have been a permanent loss to the country," he said.
"The present government probed a case filed during the last caretaker government tenure in this regard but did not disclose the probe report," he added.
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