The move comes after Paribesh Bachao Andolon, an environmental group, urged the DoA to free the historical site from an illegal lease issued by the DC office in 2002, defying the law of the land.

Md Khalequzzaman, deputy director, DoA, confirmed on Thursday that they have sent a letter to DC officially asking them to cancel the lease.

"We have sent a letter to DC asking him to cancel the lease of the house and hand it over to us," he said.

However, DC Kamaluddin, could not confirm the receipt of the letter on the same day.

Following reports published in the Star City the DoA said that they would send a letter to DC office asking them to cancel the lease.

Defying the law ADC Revenue office of DC office leased out two-thirds of this listed archaeological heritage building on February 2, 2002.

Ananda Gopal Sankhanidhi, the successor of Sankhanidhi family visited Dhaka in May and urged the authorities to preserve this historical site.

Shankhanidhi House, a building with significant architectural features on Tipu Sultan Road in the city now houses an automobile workshop, lube shops, two families and an office of workshop owners association.

Present inhabitants of the house have changed its original features according to their whims while an automobile workshop rented out by lessees in the ground floor has blackened the beautiful courtyard.

According to an inscription, whitewashed at present, it was built in 1921 by two merchant brothers Lal Mohan Saha and Gaur Nitai Saha.