Monday, April 28, 2008

Tagore memorabilia stolen, many lie in storeroom


A collection of Rabindranath Tagore memorabilia have been stolen and misplaced at the Rabindra Memorial Museum of Shahzadpur upazila in Sirajganj.
Nahid Sultana, custodian of the museum, said a large number of memorabilia including seals of Rabindra Zamindar Estate were stolen and misplaced after the Liberation War.
A number of household materials of Rabindranath Tagore like dishes, bathtubs, hookahs, etc have been left in the storeroom of the museum for a long time, she added. Due to shortage of manpower, showcases and space, the Department of Archaeology is unable to display those at the museum, declared an archaeological museum in 1969. "The Rabindra Memorial Museum boasts articles used by the poet and a few of the poet's paintings," Nahid said.
The main attractions of the museum are the traditional wooden sandals, furniture, palanquin, water filter, piano, and a metal monogram of the estate, said Nahid Sultana. On an average 150 people visit the museum every day but there are no modern facilities for them, archeology office sources said.
"The museum needs a library for Rabindra research, a guest house, and a parking lot," Nahid said.
She said at least 20 employees are needed for the smooth running of the museum but now there are only 14. The two-storied museum building needs more attention of the department, she added.

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