short story on National Museum

Bangladesh National Museum

We the student of Culture and Heritage of Bangladesh from University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh arranged a tour to Bangladesh National Museum on last November. We reached the museum at 10:00am. There was an instructor with us for introduce with the opponents of the museum. We saw the opponents and with our madam and instructor. In a short time we just know about the history of Bangladesh and Culture. We saw the historical monumental parts found in Mahasthangarh, Mynamati, Paharpur and from other places in the Ethnography and decorative arts part. Such as archaeo- logical artifacts, ancient sculpture, architecture, terracotta, epigraph, numismatic, manu- script, document etc. The relics and mementos of historic Liberation War. Historic Language Movement (1952) Collection: More than 65 thousand objects including 52 thousand coins are preserved.

After that we saw the natural historical part of Bangladesh. Its luxuriant flora and fauna, rocks and minerals. Important displays are the magnificent "Sunderbans", versatile rocks and minerals, wonderful medicinal plants, varieties of reptiles, birds and mammals and the gracious skeleton of whale. This part primarily deals with natural heritage of the country as nature plays a very important role in man's life and culture. The aims and objectives of the part is to increase public awareness for environment and environmental protection against the risk of uncontrolled and unrestrained industrialization, the gradual decreasing of the forest area and to promote public opinion for conservation of nature and natural resources through exhibitions, seminars and symposia.

When we entered to the Art and civilization gallery we saw that paintings and sculpture of contemporary painters and sculptors of the country. It also includes works of Shilpacha- raya Zainul Abedin, the pioneer of contemporary art movement in Bangladesh. Portraits of national and international personalities and heroes in the field of art, literature, culture, science, sports, philosophy, history and archaeology, One gallery of world art includes collections of original and reproductive works of old master painters and contemporary world painters. Rest of the galleries contains objects of world civilization and traditional folk art. Recently the gallery established Korean Corner, Iranian Corner, Chinese Corner and Switzerland Corner with the objects from those respective countries.

There was a laboratory named Conservation Laboratory. It also provides necessary conservation and training facilities for other museums and laboratories of the country. Conducting research to improve conservation methods and analytical work to study objects, taking measures against bio-deterioration, environmental monitoring and regular inspection of galleries and stores are the functions of the conservation laboratory. About 20,000 objects were treated in the laboratory till December 2005.

At last I just know how many visitors visit the museum every year, like- Visitors-565472, Student-12341, Foreign and local guest-337.
I just read out about the history of Bangladesh National Museum. Present Bangladesh National Museum (1983) is the successor to the Dhaka Museum. Lord Carmichael, the Governor of Bengal inaugurated the Dhaka Museum on 7th August 1913. Mr. M. Bonhamcarter and Nicholas D. Beatson Bell played a very significant role in establishing this museum. Dr. Nalini Kanta Bhattasali, a young historian of immense potentiality, was made the first curator of the museum in 1914 and he served the museum in that capacity till his death in 1947. An acclaimed scholar, dedicated organizer and a professional of untiring missionary zeal Dr. Bhattasali made this Museum a very solid one in this part of the world. Since inception, its collection has grown enormously covering a wide range of objects. On 20th September, 1983 Bangladesh Jatiya Jadughar (National Museum) ordinance came into operation and the Dhaka Museum Board of Trustees ordinance 22nd April, 1970 was repealed. Bangladesh National Museum was shifted to its present premises at Shahbag near Dhaka University in 1983.We really enjoy the tour and know about the history of our country.