Staff Correspondent

The 42 cultural artefacts, returned from France, reached the National Museum in Dhaka from ZIA International Airport Saturday. Director general of the museum Dr Samar Paul received the valuable relics.

"The archeological relics reached the museum at around noon," cultural affairs secretary Sharful Alam told bdnews24.com.

"The cartons were opened in the presence of Bangladesh and French Embassy officials at the airport. After examination they were taken to the museum," Alam said.

Dr Samar had earlier told bdnews24.com: "The cartons will be opened in the presence of officials from the cultural ministry, national museum, foreign affairs ministry and the French Embassy."

The relics arrived at the museum in a vehicle of the HomeBound shipping company, after the consignment landed back in Dhaka from Paris Saturday morning. An Air France cargo flight carrying 10 cartons touched down at Zia International Airport just after 6.00 am, received by cultural affairs adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury along with other officials.

The relics were sent to France for an exhibition at the Guimet Museum amid protests by local art lovers and conservationists who feared that replicas instead of originals would be returned to Bangladesh. "I am happy that the artefacts have returned safely," Rasheda told reporters at the airport.

A high profile committee led by the cultural affairs adviser had been formed to oversee the whole process and ensure that the cultural artefacts were returned safely to their home at the museum.

Stringent security measures were taken at the airport to ensure the safety of the returning relics. The Rapid Action Battalion and armed police were deployed at the airport terminal. The archaeological relics had earlier been packed into cartons, crated and sealed officially at the airport in Paris in the presence of Bangladeshi officials.

The cultural affairs ministry said some 33,000 euros were spent in the transportation and insurance of the relics. The Bangladesh government is paying 9,000 euros while the remaining 24,000 euros will be paid by the French authorities. The 42 artefacts were originally sent to France for exhibition in Paris on Nov 30 last year.

A second consignment of 145 cultural artefacts were packed in 13 cartons were also readied for dispatch to the Guimet Museum on Dec 21. The government cancelled the latter shipment after two rare Vishnu statues went missing from the airport's cargo house, resulting in the resignation of former cultural adviser Ayub Quadri.

Cultural secretary Sharful Alam told bdnews24.com: "An exhibition of the returned artefacts will be held next week in Dhaka. Everybody will have the chance to see them."

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