Barishal museum fails to attract visitors

The Barishal Divisional Museum is losing its attraction amid a dire lack of initiatives over the years.

The museum was established on June 8, 2015 with 23 rooms in Barishal Collectorate Building, displaying 146 archaeological specimens.

Since the museum's inception, there has been no survey and excavation work from it for the Department of Archaeology.

The museum officials said the museum is managed under the Khulna Divisional Museum. As such, for any activity the decision is made by their authorities. Also, the museum lacks sufficient funds for activities including survey, excavation and programmes.

At present, Barishal Divisional Museum is being run by 12 staffers under an assistant custodian.

During a recent visit to the museum, this correspondent saw various pottery items, recovered ancient idols, inscriptions, furniture, and coins on display.

According to officials, no more than 60 to 70 individuals visit the museum daily.

Arif Ur Rahman, assistant custodian of the museum, said the lack of funds prevented them from undertaking any significant initiative aimed at preserving the antiquities in the region.

"There is not even a separate office for the museum at the divisional level," he said.

"There are at least 25 archaeological sites in Barishal division, including Tagore estate of Barishal Sadar, Mallikpur Mosque in Nalchhity upazila, Sikdar Bari Mosque in Kathalia upazila, Kalsakathi Zamindar Palace in Bakerganj upazila and Sher-e Bangla AK Fazlul Haque's ancestral home. Of those, only two structures could be brought under conservation scope," he said.

Arif informed that a museum was established in 1978 in a part of the ancestral residence of Sher-e Bangla on 27 decimals of land in Chakhar union under Banaripara upazila.

However, a bungalow used by Sher-e-Bangla there, as well as a "kachhari ghar" owned by Sher-e-Bangla in Jhalakathi, were not placed under the museum, he added.

"There are 75 pictures, 30 handwritten letters, other documents, and furniture on display here," said Balram Das, in-charge of the Sher-e Bangla Museum in Chakhar.

"Due to a lack of initiatives to make the museum attractive, people are losing interest in knowing more about our heritage," said Md Ziaul Hasan, principal of Fazlul Haque Institution.

Shah Sajeda, an educationist, echoed him.

Contacted, Lovely Yeasmin, regional director of Barishal and Khulna divisional museum, said, "The scope of conducting renovation works for heritage sites under the Barishal Divisional Museum is vast, but this cannot be done with general budget. We have submitted a separate proposal in this regard."

"We will also present our plans to expand activities of the museum to the authorities concerned soon," she added.