The New Nation - Internet Edition

Cultural Affairs Adviser Rasheda K. Choudhury
inspecting the relics after inaugurating a seven-day
exhibition of artefacts brought back from France at the
National Museum in the city yesterday. NN photo

Staff Reporter

A seven-day display of 185 pieces of artefacts, including 42, brought back from the Guimet Museum in France, began at the National Museum in the city yesterday.

The exhibition will be open to the public from 9:30am to 4:30pm everyday.

Cultural Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury inaugurated the show.

The exhibition will include the 42 artefacts sent to France as well as the 143 relics whose shipment was cancelled before the exhibition at the Guimet Museum, said Cultural Affairs Secretary Sharful Alam.

The show will allow people to view the valuable relics directly and there will not be any entry fee, the Secretary added. A consignment of 42 artefacts returned home from France on February 23 after being exhibited at the Guimet.

A second consignment of 143 artefacts were packed ready for send off to Paris on December 21 but the government halted the shipment after two rare Vishnu statues went missing at Zia International Airport, resulting in the resignation of former Cultural Adviser Ayub Quadri.

National Artefacts protection Council, local art lovers and conservationists fearing that replicas instead of originals would be returned to Bangladesh from France demonstrated in the city streets.