<i>Students vow to protect Mahasthangarh heritage</i>
College and school students pledge to protect the archaeological heritage of Mahasthangarh in Shibganj upazila of Bogra district yesterday. Some 180 students of 10 educational institutions of Shibganj and Bogra Sadar upazilas took the oath.Photo: STAR
Students of local schools and colleges yesterday launched a civic engagement to protect the archaeological heritage of Mahasthangarh in the district. Some 180 student volunteers from 10 schools and colleges will visit the localities to get information about the people engaged in destroying the archaeological heritage and damaging artefacts. They will communicate the information to the authorities concerned for taking necessary steps. "The team will primarily work for three months under a pilot project," said Dr Enamul Haque, former director general of Bangladesh National Museum, at a seminar where the volunteer group was introduced. Sangskritik Shampad Songrokkhoner Nagorik Udyog (SSSNU) initiated the move. Enamul Haque, also chief convenor of the SSSNU, administered an oath to the volunteers yesterday morning at Mahasthan College auditorium. Prof Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University (JU), was present as the chief guest. Prof Mozammel Haque, a JU teacher of archaeology, and advocate Mahbubor Rahman, mayor of Bogra municipality, also attended the programme. In the morning, people from different sectors of society held a rally in Mahasthangarh heritage area. The district administration and Mahasthan Mazar Unnayan Committee on December 3 last year started constructing multi-storey buildings removing ancient structures at Mahastangarh archaeological site. On January 23, following a writ petition filed by a rights organisation, a High Court bench ordered the local administration to stop the construction work. The same bench on February 10 issued a suo moto rule asking the Bogra superintendent of police to deploy police to ensure security and protection of the site. The Department of Archaeology has recently made an allegation to the local administration that some influential people are still trying to build structures at the site defying the HC order.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments