The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser Dr Ayub Quadri yesterday resigned from his post in the wake of widespread criticism over the missing of two 1,500-year-old terracotta statues of Hindu god Vishnu from Zia International Airport on Saturday.

Quadri wrote his resignation letter addressing the President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed and sent it to the Cabinet Division in the afternoon.

"I have resigned from my post on personal grounds," Quadri told The New Nation last night over telephone.

Earlier, the resignation letter was handed over to the Cabinet Division at 4:30pm.

The resignation came three days after two Vishnu statues went missing from Zia International Airport when a second consignment of 147 rare ancient artefacts representing the country's history, culture and heritage was being sent to France for exhibition in Guimet Museum in Paris.

The Adviser himself took the decision to send the artefacts to France without taking any prior approval of the Advisory Council of the Carteaker Government. The decision sparked widespread protests among the country's intellectuals, writers, artists, art connoisseurs, and even people from all strata of the society.

Quadri had earlier said he must take the responsibility for the lost artefacts as the head of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

The Adviser also hinted his resignation on Monday when he spoke to reporters on the theft of the artefacts at a press conference at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

The Council of Advisers of the caretaker government Tuesday cancelled the sending of the second consignment of artefacts and relics to Paris, which was up for display at the Guimet Museum in Paris.