Bangladesh News

Forty-two artefacts from Bangladesh sent to Paris for an exhibition at Guimet Museum are being brought back today.

A cargo flight of Air France carrying the artefacts will reach Dhaka airport early this morning, cultural affairs ministry sources said.

The archaeological masterpieces will then be brought to the National Museum under tight security.

The government is going to hold an exhibition of 185 artefacts including those 42 in Dhaka next week.

Meanwhile, a committee headed by Cultural Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury has been formed to check whether the artefacts brought back are the ones that were sent to Paris on December 1 last year.

Under a cultural exchange agreement, the government was to send 187 ancient artefacts to Paris for exhibition. But two of those — ancient statues of Vishnu — were stolen from the cargo house of Dhaka airport on December 21.

The government then decided not to send any more artefacts to Paris and requested the Guimet museum authorities to postpone the exhibition.

Sharful Alam, secretary of the cultural ministry, yesterday told The Daily Star, “Next week we will arrange an exhibition (of the artefacts) and everyone will able to see them.” The date of the exhibition is yet to be fixed, he said, adding, “Our first concern is to bring them back.”

Two officials from the National Museum and Department of Archaeology will be on board at the aircraft carrying the artefacts. Those were packed and sealed in presence of the two and the charge d’ affaires of Bangladesh embassy in France, sources in the cultural ministry said.

The cultural adviser, secretary and other officials concerned will be present at the airport to receive the artefacts.

It will cost euro 33 thousand to bring those back. Of this, Bangladesh government is bearing euro 9 thousand and French government is paying the rest.

The artefacts were sent to Paris amid strong protests from artists, art lovers, archaeologists and members of civil society.