A huge number of valuable books and manuscripts remained uncared for at the Government Woodburn Public Library, Bogra, for the past 10 years.
Locals said the administration and library authority had yet to take any initiative to save around 18,000 old books and manuscripts facing decay in the old building of the library.
However, Md Shafiqur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Bogra and president of the library’s managing committee, denied such allegations, and claimed that authorities had taken proper steps in this regard.
The library officials said thousands of valuable books were kept in the building, which was established in 1853 during the British rule with a view to encouraging a reading habit among people.
Shyamal Bhattacharya, a former teacher at Bogra Zila School, said just Tk15,000 would have saved the ancient manuscripts that were lying in the old library without any care.
Earlier in 2004, following the establishment of Edward Park in Bogra, the old library management committee was dissolved as it was decided to relocate the old library to the new building. The shift, however, had yet to be completed, library authorities claimed.
Assistant Liberian Md Rokonuzzman said they had completed counting the books and other valuable goods, including manuscripts, in preperation for the move.