Abdur Rahman Mustakim, a student from Narayanganj, visited the Idrakpur Fort Museum in Munshiganj with his relatives on Tuesday. While he was impressed by the fort itself, he was deeply disappointed by the museum's lack of antiquities.

"I traveled a long way expecting to see many traditional artefacts unearthed in Munshiganj," he said. "But there is nothing traditional in the museum. I expected something better."

Other visitors, including madrasa student Naeem, teacher Mizanur Rahman, and homemaker Sonia Akhtar, shared similar sentiments. They all demanded that the antiquities found in Munshiganj be exhibited at the fort museum.

Photo: Tanjil Hasan

Idrakpur Fort is a Mughal structure. According to the Archaeological Survey Report of the Department of Archeology (published in April, 2000), Mughal Subedar Mir Jumla of Bengal built the fort in 1660 as an outpost to guard the water route to Dhaka against the raids of the Portuguese and Mogh pirates.

The fort stands on the northern bank of the dried up Ichamati river in Munshiganj, 24 kilometers south-east of Dhaka.

Since the British era, the fort has been used as the residence of the sub-divisional officer and later, after independence as the residence of the district commissioner.

The fort complex also housed the district jail.

In 1993, the residence of the DC was shifted from the fort to a new place. After that, the jail was also shifted to a new building.

On March 19, 2022, the Department of Archeology established the Idrakpur Fort Museum in the old jail building. But there is nothing in the museum except some pictures and terracotta replicas. While visitors are enamoured by the more than 400-year-old fort, the museum leaves them bitterly disappointed.

Meanwhile, various ancient statues have been discovered at regular intervals in Munshiganj. But none of those artefacts are on display in local museums.

Sufi Mustafizur Rahman, professor of Archeology at Jahangirnagar University, said, "The Vishnu idols found in Munshiganj recently are from the 19th century. They are invaluable resources made of black basalt stone. Since there is a museum in Munshiganj, these idols should be kept there."

Omar Sharif Fahad, assistant commissioner (treasury branch) of Munshiganj District Administration office, said, "There are some idols in the treasury. However, I cannot say how many idols there are in total."

Recently, one Vishnu idol was found on April 13 and two more on May 17 and May 20 in Munshiganj. The discovered idols were deposited in the Munshiganj District Treasury. According to the news published in various newspapers, at least 12 idols were recovered from different places of Sadar and Tongibari upazilas of Munshiganj in 11 years between 2013 to 2024.

Afroza Khan Mita, regional director of the Directorate of Archaeology, said, "The Directorate of Archeology has written letters to the district administrators of all districts to know how many statues, inscriptions or other antiquities are there in the district treasury."

"After receiving information from them, we will arrange for the preservation of the antiquities through the court. Arrangements will be made to exhibit one or two idols at Idrakpur Fort Museum in Munshiganj," she added.