Speakers at the 9th monthly general meeting of Bangladesh Asiatic Society opined that Bangladesh can become an example in preservation of archaeological sites if the people of this highly populated country become conscious about importance of the sites.
Dr Shahnaj Husne Jahan addressed the meeting as the key note speaker. Describing the government’s initiatives inadequate to preserve the archaeological sites, she pointed out some problems remaining in this sector.
She told: “Everyday we are losing the sites because of people’s carelessness. Who will be responsible for this? Even research or preservation permissions are difficult to obtain from the Department of Archaeology.”
The monthly general meeting was also addressed by university teachers and government officials. The guests illustrated the vulnerable situation of many archaeological places in different districts of Bangladesh. For example, Sitakot Bihar of Dinajpur, Mahasthangar in Bogra, Bhitargarh in Panchagarh districts are being destroyed by the locals and some government officials, who constructed buildings or even army camps. In some cases construction of different facilities are going on in those sites violating the high court rule, told the speakers in the meeting.