The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The government at an emergency meeting yesterday formally decided not to send a second artifact consignment to Paris in view of "public sentiment" as searches were underway to recover the two ancient statues stolen two days ago minutes ahead of their shipment.

"It was decided at the meeting that the remaining artifacts would not be dispatched till the issues related to the theft case was resolved and because of the complexity and public sentiment that arose out of this incident," a statement of the Chief Adviser's office said after the "special meeting".

The statement said the meeting" chaired by Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed decided that the Guimet Museum, where the relics were due to be showcased, would be informed regretfully that it would not be possible to go ahead with the planned exhibition of the items.

Fakhruddin Ahmed, who returned home on Monday morning after performing the holy hajj in Saudi Arabia, called the meeting joined by advisers and concerned senior officials and security personnel. Security personnel told the meeting that investigations were underway to find the two terracotta Vishnu images.

The statues were found missing from the Zia International Airport on Sunday minutes ahead of their shipment to Paris by a Air France cargo plane defying protests by archeologists, historians, connoisseurs and civil society leaders. The meeting also constituted another high powered committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar to "make a comprehensive report on the issue".

"We have not lost hope, but yet there is no development which I can tell you. Let's see what happens," Inspector General of Police Nur Mohammad told BSS.

Director general of elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Hassan Mahmud echoed the police chief only saying "investigations are underway and we are assisting the police". That's all I can tell you right this moment."

Officials said National Central Bureau (NCB) of the police has sent a message to the Interpol informing them of the heist and seeking help in tracing the Gupta era relics and hunting down those responsible.

One of the 13 cartons that contained the two terracotta statues of Lord Vishnu were found missing during the final check as a Air France cargo plane was preparing to take off carrying the second consignment of the relics for an exhibition at Guimet Museum in the French capital under a deed signed with France.

The empty carton containing the statues was later found at a water body adjacent to the runway.

The theft which appeared to be a major debacle for the government as the second consignment of the relics were set to be shipped to Paris to be displayed in a show in the French capital.

The protestors feared that those could be stolen and the replicas would return home as French relic hunters have expertise in copying such pieces.

Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser Ayub Quadri said he was shouldering the responsibility after the loss of two rare artifacts.

"It's me who must take the responsibility as the head of the cultural affairs ministry for the lost artifacts."

Named 'Vishnu' and 'Bust of Vishnu', the 1,500-year-old statues are from Gupta era of the seventh century. Since being discovered in a dig at Mahasthangarh of Bogra, they had been kept at the National Museum.

Earlier, the High Court issued a two-month stay order on sending the artifacts to Paris. But, later the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court vacated the stay allowing the government to start the shipment procedure.

French embassy in a statement earlier criticized the "loose procedures" and lack of security vigil at the airport tarmac for the theft while "France condemns such acts in the strongest term".

One hundred and eighty-nine antiques were selected from the National Museum in Dhaka and the museums of Paharpur, Mahasthangarh, Mainamati and Varendra for the exhibition in Paris while the first consignment was sent earlier this month.