A total of 35 archeological artefacts have been handed over to the National Museum officials from the public treasury of the Sirajganj Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The artefacts were handed over to Dr Shariful Islam, assistant keeper of the National Museum, yesterday morning in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Md Billal Hossain and Additional District Magistrate Md Shafiqul Islam. The artefacts were sent to Dhaka via truck and will now be stored and displayed at the National Museum.
Treasury officer and Executive Magistrate SM Golam Kibria said the artefacts, recovered by law enforcers as well as district and upazila administration on different occasions, were stored in the treasury.
“As legal proceedings attached to these came to an end, an application was submitted to store them at the National Museum. 35 artefacts, both big and small, have now been handed over,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Md Billal Hossain said people around the country can take a look at the artefacts once they are displayed at the National Museum.
The artefacts include a Vasudeva statue made of black stone, a 1.15-inch long Shiva Linga statue, a Narayan statue made of brass and a Buddha statue weighing nearly 14-15 kilograms.
Dr Shariful Islam said nearly 21,000 artefacts, recovered from different parts of the country, have been stored and only 7,000 of those are displayed at the National Museum. He said some of the artefacts handed over yesterday will be put up in the museum.