The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

It would not be right to send the rest of the artefacts to France for exhibition in a museum unless and until the matter relating to the missing artefacts was resolved, said Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser Dr Ayub Quadri yesterday.

On the other hand, a five-member inquiry committee with Fakhrul Islam, joint secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has been formed by the government to investigate the matter. The committee has been asked to submit report within three days.

Dr Ayub Quadri said a crate of the artefacts went on missing from Zia International Airport while 13 crates of artefacts were being sent to France. Inside the missing crate there were two rare statues of Hindu god Vishnu, which belonged to the 6th and 7th centuries. They were found in Bogra.

He said the missing statues were insured. One statue was insured for 20,000 euro while the other for 25,000 euros.

The Adviser said the France Embassy in Dhaka has assured of all kinds of cooperation to find out the missing artefacts.

Dr Quadri said 42 artefacts were sent in 10 crates for exhibition in France under the first phase, while under the second phase 145 artefacts in 13 crates were handed over to the Air France authorities at Zia International Airport at night on December 22. Of the 143 artefacts, two went on missing, while the rest 143 artefacts have been kept in cargo godown at the airport.

When asked why the artefacts were being sent to France during Eid holidays, the Adviser said the day was chosen to send the artefacts directly to France, because the direct flight between Dhaka and Paris was on that day.

He said all the cargoes of Air France were being examined whether the missing artefacts were in any other boxes. It might require another 24hours.

The Adviser said the inquiry committee would make a list of the missing artefacts and recommend necessary steps to avert such incidents in future.

Meanwhile, Committee for Smuggling Out of Artefacts yesterday demanded proper investigation into the stealing of the artefacts.

Addressing a press conference at Gallery Chitrak in the city, Prof Sirajul Islam Chowdhury said their apprehension about the invaluable artefacts proved to be true as two statues of god Vishnu went on missing.