‘Borokuthi’, an archeological heritage adjacent to the bank of the Padma river in Rajshahi city, will be renovated to make sure its proper conservation and protection.
The Department of Archeology under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has taken an initiative and inaugurated the renovation works at the archeological site on Thursday.
Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton attended and addressed the opening ceremony as chief guest with Regional Director of the department Nahid Sultana in the chair. Panel Mayor Shariful Islam Babu, Assistant Director of the department Abir Bin Kaiser and Writer and Researcher Mahbub Siddiqui also spoke.
In his remarks, Mayor Liton said after successful renovation works the site will attract many visitors. As a whole, the borokuthi will be an iconic symbol of the city, he added.
Nahid Sultana told the audience that the site will be renovated at a cost of around Taka 4.85 lakh in initial stage and it will be brought under a big project for wider renovation.
“We will turn the site into a museum after necessary renovation and preservation,” she added. She said the two-storied Dutch building with 12 rooms was established in Rajshahi during the 18th century. It was used as the centre of silk trade of Dutch and British traders. After the fall of Nawab Siraj-ud Doula in 1757, East India Company purchased it and later in 1833 sold it to Robert Watson and Company.
The building was used as the then government’s supply center after the 1947 partition and Rajshahi University acquired it in 1953, she added.
Since then, the Borokuthi has been maintained by the authorities of Rajshahi University and used as a club of teachers and officials of RU. Recently, the university authority handed over the building to the department of archeology.
