When it comes to preserving the historical sites of Bangladesh, we seem to be lagging far behind the rest of the world. Over the past few decades, a lot of our heritage sites have been ruined due to gross neglect from the authorities concerned and a lack of awareness from the local people. One such site is the Muktagacha Zamindar Bari in Mymensingh. Reportedly, the Department of Archeology (DoA) took charge of this palace in 1993 and started its renovation in 2012. However, halfway through the work, they abandoned the project. Now, nearly half of the palace is on the verge of ruin.

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The Muktagacha dynasty was established in 1727 by Sree Krishna Acharya Chowdhury. The Zamindar Bari, established on a hundred acres of land, consisted of residences for the zamindars, a "rang mahal" (auditorium) furnished with a revolving stage, a big library, a temple and other facilities. The palace is a unique example of our ancient architecture, and attracts tourists from across the country. Unfortunately, the DoA seems to have finished its duty by placing a signboard beside the palace, and appointing only two staff members to look after this valuable site.

This is by no means an isolated incident, as many other heritage sites suffer from similar negligence and poor oversight. The question is, when will we learn to value our heritage? How long will it take for the authorities to come up with proper conservation plans? There are countless listed and unlisted heritage sites spread across the country, many on the verge of destruction. We witnessed how some heritage sites in Old Dhaka, including parts of the Boro Katra and Jahaj Bari, were demolished in the name of development in recent years. We also witnessed how the Mahasthangarh in Bogura was damaged by building new structures on the site.

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The authorities must stop destruction or erosion of our historical sites and take proper initiatives to preserve them. This is not impossible. The renovation of the Lalbagh Fort is an example of how, with the right mentality and initiatives, we can save our historical sites. We urge the DoA to take note of this and complete the renovation work of the Muktagacha Zamindar Bari as soon as possible.