The underinvested potential of archaeotourism in Bangladesh

Brick structures buried underground are often found in the surrounding areas of Paharpur Bihar. Until declared an archaeological site, these structures cannot be protected.Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

When we arrived at the Paharpur Buddhist Monastery on a starry November night, I realised for the first time how big it was compared to what can be seen in the photos. As we circled the central shrine, the silhouette of the millennium-old brick structure against the night sky struck us with awe.

The wintry morning that followed fully revealed the vastness of the great mahabihar (university) from the eighth century, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The spectacular monument is actually the second-largest single Buddhist monastery south of the Himalayas.

As we loitered around the ruins, we imagined the resident monks, other scholars, and their students walking through the corridors, sitting in the 177 cells, probably used as classrooms, or praying in the stupas, and doing chores in the kitchens and ancillary buildings of the Bihar complex.

We were so awed by the terracotta-decorated ruins that we prolonged our stay for one more day, and promised to come back again.

But we left only for the next heritage about 50 km away in Naogaon: a Sultani-period mosque named Kusumba from the 12th century. We've all seen the image of the mosque on the five-Taka bills, but seeing it face-to-face for the first time was a tremendous experience. 

The grey walls confused us, as we first thought someone messed up with the repair work and might have plastered the wall with bare cement. But as we came closer, we were surprised to notice that the walls were actually made of dark black basalt stones, retaining all its glory for about a millennium. 

For a long time, we thought Bangladesh's tourist attractions were numbered, and limited to the beach in Cox's Bazar, the sole coral island or the mangrove forest etc. For the more adventurous tourists, destinations later expanded to the trails in Bandarban, haors and to some extent to the small coastal islands in the Bay of Bengal. The small country, basically a flat delta, is not so diverse when it comes to landscape.

Some archaeological sites are also well-known to people, but archaeotourism or archaeological tourism in the country can hardly be called popular.

Archaeotourism is a type of cultural tourism that involves visiting archaeological sites, museums and other places of historical and cultural significance. The goal of archaeotourism is to educate the public about archaeology and to help preserve historical sites.

Darasbari mosque, located near the Indian border in Chapai Nawabganj, is the largest mosque in the Bangladesh part of Gaur-Lakhnauti. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

Consider our trip from Mahasthangarh in Bogura, a 3rd-century city-site, to the 15th-century Darasbari mosque and madrassah, located near the Indian border in Chapai Nawabganj. Darasbari Mosque is the largest mosque in the Bangladesh part of gaur-lakhnauti, built in 1479 AD by Shamsuddin Abul Muzaffar Yusuf Shah. 

The trip just felt like time travel spanning two millennia. 

The single trip offered different sites and historical relics from Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic rule over 1,200 years. Such a stupendous trip is most likely to induce a thirst for history lessons among the visitors.

Heritage tourism enthusiasts and historians say an integrated planning combining several government and private institutions is required to make such tourism popular, which will have several components: archaeological visits, storytelling and food from relevant eras.

Compared to nature tourism opportunities in the country, archaeological sites are plentiful. You'll find it virtually everywhere, even in the middle of Kishoreganj Haor (eg Qutb Masjid from the 16th century).

The Department of Archaeology has an extensive list of scores of archaeological sites in the country, which can come in handy if someone wishes to visit them. In fact, it is practical for a traveller to consult the list on the department's website before going to any division or district of the country, and it is quite likely that the place has one or two historical structures. 

The list even provides the geographic coordinates of the sites.

Yet, further excavation could unearth many more archaeological gems in the country and could fully reveal the mysteries of existing sites. Even a signboard in Paharpur Mahabihar mentions the need for more excavation.

Only excavation and preservation can save the historical relics of prior civilisations. Muhammad Fazlul Karim, Custodian, Paharpur Museum, Naogaon said many things are getting lost.

"In fear of acquisition, local people, if they find any artefacts such as the partial ruin of ancient brick structures in their property, they swiftly hide them and construct houses on them," Fazlul Karim said.

Paharpur Bihar is now protected with boundary walls. However, brick structures buried underground are often found in the surrounding areas. Until declared an archaeological site, these structures cannot be protected.

Even enlisted sites are left unprotected in many cases. The beautiful Darasbari Masjid, for example, is being harmed every day by local youngsters who freely climb the walls and remove loose bricks from the terracotta-adorned walls. The mosque still carries intricate designs on the walls but does not have the roof, which was destroyed in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake.

Being located in the border area, the beautiful mosque cannot be renovated due to opposition from the Border Security Forces of India. Other sites such as the renowned Sona Masjid, which is only a kilometre away, are well protected as people offer regular prayers in it.

Lack of awareness from local people and scant initiatives from the government leave the historical sites in utter negligence, archaeotourism enthusiasts said.

"There is no signboard identifying the Ghoraghat Fort in Dinajpur. In fact only the ruins of a mosque are there, which is engulfed with plants and bushes," said Aal Maruf Russell, a writer and the founder of Meeras-e-Bangalah, an organisation working to popularise archaeotourism.

"Is there any government organisation, or local government institute that is interested in preserving this very important Mughal-era fort? Does anyone help a visitor with a map or anything for that matter? The answer is a big no," the writer said, adding, this is just a glaring example of negligence. 

Promoting tourism and preservation of archaeological sites could work hand in hand, Russell said. All the relevant agencies should work together with local stakeholders and tour operators to achieve this, he said.

In some cases, we are going backwards, Russell expressed sorrow. 

"There was once a government initiative in Naogaon, in which guided tours were operated encompassing Paharpur Bihar, Jagaddal Bihar, Badal Stambholipi in Mangalbari, Dibar Dighi, and so on. It stopped at some point due to weakness in planning and corrupt practices."

The historian said that more excavation in the area can create a circuit of archaeological sites, where a visitor can engage in a fulfilling tour. He said even trying the foods of ancient times can be a part of a tour. Bangladesh lacks in multidimensional planning of tourism based on the history of the land, he stated