Chittagong University (CU) pagoda
Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

'Bishwa Shanti Pagoda', only religious place for the Buddhist community of Zobra village under Hathazari upazila in Chittagong, is yet to be established as a pagoda due to financial constraint, said Prosanta Barua, secretary of Pagoda Managing Committee.
Prosanta, also a resident of the village, said during the 15th to 17th century, there was a Buddhist temple in the top of the hillocks which has turned into a cremation centre of the local Buddhists through the passage of time. It was called 'Kiang Tila', he added.
Prosanta said the Buddhists have become united to save their hundreds of years old heritage 'Kiang Tila' and took an initiative to turn it (Kiang Tila) into a social, educational, cultural and religious place for them.
They formed the 'Bangladesh Sangharaj Bhikshu (Buddhist mendicant) Mahamandal', a regional organisation in 1980 to materialise their initiatives.
Sangharaj Bhikshu Mahamandal and the local Buddhists jointly formed a committee in March in 1982 to expedite their activities and protect the reminiscence of Kiang Tila.
The Patriarch of the Bangladeshi Buddhists, 10th Sangharaj and world citizen Sri Jyotipal Mahathera, was made president of the committee, said Dharmobodhi Bhikshu, caretaker of the museum of Bishwa Shanti Pagoda.
Later, various plans were taken for implementing the objectives for installation of Bishwa Shanti Pagoda (World Peace Pagoda). The plans include establishment of Bishwa Shanti Pagoda, Bi-darshon Bhabna Kendra, religious training centre, hostel, printing press and a library, pagoda sources said.
A hostel was established with the financial help of mass people irrespective of caste and creeds along with local Buddhist community. Later, Italian Red Cross, a private organisation, came forward with its helping hands and established a new hostel enriched with architectural design in 1996.
Father Pietto Luize Lupi, representative of Italian Red Cross, played pioneering role in establishing the artistic hostel titled 'Gobinda-Gunalonkar Buddha Chhatrabash'. The hostel was named after two great men of this region Gobinda Thakur and Gunalonkar Mahaschobir.
A total of 84 Buddhist students of Chittagong University (CU) and around six Buddhist mendicants are enjoying residential facilities at the hostel, Pagoda sources said.
Various religious, educational, recreational and cultural festivals are being arranged in the hostel regularly since it's inception.
With the help of benevolent people, the development activities of the Bishwa Shanti Pagoda would be going on. The main portal of the complex has been constructed with the financial support of Babu Joyraj Barua and the prayer hall by Babu Prodip Kumar Barua. But the main purpose of establishing a Pagoda is yet to be implemented, said Prof Dr Jinobodhi Bhikshu of CU Oriental Languages Department and principal of Bishwa Shanti Pagoda.
The pagoda complex has also a library, a museum (Pandit Jyotipal Smriti Museum) and a prayer hall, he said.
The local Buddhists as well as the Buddhists from across the country gather here to perform rituals, he said, adding that the dream of building a pagoda is yet to be materialised.
Seeking financial support from all for establishing the pagoda, Prof Dr Jinobodhi said it will be the holy place of the Buddhists from home and abroad.
Besides, such Buddhist religious structure also can be the unique attraction for the tourists, he added.
Dr Jinobodhi said for creating good and patriotic citizen, there is no alternative to such religious organisations. Government as well as affluent people should come forward to protect such kind of organisations for the greater interest of the country as well as the Buddhist people, he added.