Mughal era Eidgah choked by illegal structures
The Department of Archaeology is restoring the Mughal-era eidgah in the capital's Dhanmondi. Photo: Amran Hossain
Illegal structures are hampering restoration work of the historic Eidgah at Dhanmondi in the capital.
Set up in 1640 by Mughal ruler Subedar Shah Shuja Dewan Bin Abdul Kashim, the Eidgah is one of the only two Mughal congregation sites in the sub-continent, the other being in Delhi, according to historians.
The arched main entrance to the Eidgah has an inscription on it in Persian language.
Neglect and lack of supervision over the years have led to encroachments upon the Mughal legacy. A complaint centre of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd, a pump house of the Wasa and a private Islamic research centre have the largest unauthorised structures at the Eidgah, obscuring it from public view.
An encroachment that comes as an eyesore is on the eastern side of the Eidgah -- remnant of a demolished old mosque. A newly built four-storey mosque-cum-madrasa is now in place close to it. But the mosque committee is dilly-dallying over its removal.
Asked about this, committee sources said some influential local people want that the remnant be kept as a "souvenir".
He, however, said the committee at a meeting recently agreed to demolish the structure that is housing the Islamic research centre.
Remains of a demolished old mosque stand as an eyesore to the view. Photo: Amran Hossain
Regional Director of the Department of Archaeology Ataur Rahman, which is carrying out the restoration job, said removal of the illegal structures around the Eidgah is a big challenge for the department.
“We shall restore the Mughal legacy in its original look but this will be meaningless without some sort of beautification of the site,” he told The Daily Star.
Contacted, lawmaker from the area Fazle Noor Tapash said he would help ensure removal of all the illegal structures from the historic site and make it a place for the younger generations to learn about the nation's rich heritage.
“I have already talked to people who have encroached upon the area, and they have promised to remove the structures soon,” Tapash said.
Comments