Sonargaon, Panam Nagar deserve special attention
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Country's significant archaeological sites Sonargaon and Panam Nagar need to be protected for the benefit of posterity and to attract tourists, reports UNB.
"These historical sites are in danger of being lost for lack of coordinated programmes to protect them," said Abdullah Al Mamun, a former student of Islamic History and Culture Department of Dhaka University.
Mamun said Sonargaon as a historical place that bears many symbols of archaeological development of ancient Bengal and the authorities concerned should protect these for the next generation. "It's a place which can attract tourists from abroad too," he added.
Khadiza Akhter, a tourist from Dhaka, said the government should take immediate steps to provide transport facility, especially bus services up to the spot, so that people from capital Dhaka can visit the place in comfort.
Describing the historical importance of Sonargaon, Dr Akhtaruzzaman, Professor of Dhaka University's Islamic History and Culture department, said a famous university was established there in the 14th century and many great scholars from across the world used to teach the students. "Among many historical events, there was a slave market there during the Muslim rule."
He said a planned city, Panam Nagar, was built there which is now in shabby condition. "We should protect these historical sites for the future generation."
According to history, Sonargaon was the capital of eastern Bengal under the rulers of Shahi Sultan during the medieval age. It now survives as a township about 27 kilometers southeast of Dhaka but from the old remains it appears to encompass a wide tract bounded on the east, west and south by the Meghna, the Shitalakhya and the Dhaleshwari rivers respectively and on the north by the Brahmaputra.
With the annexation of the Muslim principality of Lakhnauti by Shamsuddin Firuz Shah in the 14th century, Sonargaon became the seat of an independent ruler under his son and successor Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah and after the fall it became the headquarters of the eastern province of Bengal under Tughlaqs till 1338.
"These historical sites are in danger of being lost for lack of coordinated programmes to protect them," said Abdullah Al Mamun, a former student of Islamic History and Culture Department of Dhaka University.
Mamun said Sonargaon as a historical place that bears many symbols of archaeological development of ancient Bengal and the authorities concerned should protect these for the next generation. "It's a place which can attract tourists from abroad too," he added.
Khadiza Akhter, a tourist from Dhaka, said the government should take immediate steps to provide transport facility, especially bus services up to the spot, so that people from capital Dhaka can visit the place in comfort.
Describing the historical importance of Sonargaon, Dr Akhtaruzzaman, Professor of Dhaka University's Islamic History and Culture department, said a famous university was established there in the 14th century and many great scholars from across the world used to teach the students. "Among many historical events, there was a slave market there during the Muslim rule."
He said a planned city, Panam Nagar, was built there which is now in shabby condition. "We should protect these historical sites for the future generation."
According to history, Sonargaon was the capital of eastern Bengal under the rulers of Shahi Sultan during the medieval age. It now survives as a township about 27 kilometers southeast of Dhaka but from the old remains it appears to encompass a wide tract bounded on the east, west and south by the Meghna, the Shitalakhya and the Dhaleshwari rivers respectively and on the north by the Brahmaputra.
With the annexation of the Muslim principality of Lakhnauti by Shamsuddin Firuz Shah in the 14th century, Sonargaon became the seat of an independent ruler under his son and successor Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah and after the fall it became the headquarters of the eastern province of Bengal under Tughlaqs till 1338.