Bangladesh News

Finally, the government yesterday began sending artefacts to France for an exhibition in Paris.

At least 10 out of 23 boxes of around 200 relics collected from three museums were sent in the first phase. The rest will be flown soon, said sources.

The exhibition will take place at Guimet Museum in the French capital. The exact date of the event, however, could not be known.

The decision to give the artefacts to France under an agreement signed between the cultural affairs ministry and representatives of the French government has caused a huge public furore.

The exhibition originally scheduled for October 23 was deferred after the High Court in Dhaka had issued a two-month stay on

sending the artefacts out of the country. Besides, eminent citizens, civil society members, cultural activists, and students took to the streets protesting the government’s move.

Demonstrations continued in Shahbagh area in front of the National Museum yesterday.

Protesters formed a human chain as the staff of Homebound, the company hired to carry the artefacts, were getting the boxes onto trucks.

Many gathered there early in the morning hearing that the first batch of artefacts would be taken to Paris yesterday. They chanted slogans when the vehicles carrying those were leaving the National Museum premises in the afternoon.

Police picked up one demonstrator but later released him.

Archaeology experts, artists and citizens have alleged that the deal signed between the two governments is riddled with irregularities. It does not give exact number of the artefacts to be sent and their insurance cover, and lacks authentic counter signature and video documents, they claimed.

They fear some of those might not even be returned after the display.

However, the government and French embassy in Dhaka have maintained all along that all issues of concern have been addressed properly and each of those artefacts will be flown back home safe and sound.