Magnificent ‘Neel Kuthi’ needs urgent restoration

A British-era structure known as 'Neel Kuthi', located beside the Kabodak river near Khalishpur Bazar in Moheshpur upazila, is on the verge of collapse. 

Established in 1847, the grand building is said to have been a place where local peasants were subjected to physical torture and abuse by British indigo (Neel in Bangla) traders.

Peasants in the then Bengal were persecuted during the era for refusing to cultivate indigo on the best soils in which they preferred to cultivate rice.  

About 25 feet tall, the building has a total of 23 compartments inside and 19 aesthetic columns on its exterior. The thickness of the walls in the building is about 30 inches.

Defiant peasants used to be hung from the ceiling of two of the compartments during torture, locals told this correspondent during a recent visit.

Hamjur Rahman, a resident of Khordokhalishpur village, said between the years of 1956-57 and 1983-84, the building was used for revenue circle office (CO) and from 1984 till 2002, it was used for Tafsil office of the local union. 

In 2008, after the then upazila nirbahi officer invited tender for auctioning off the derelict building, hundreds of locals on July 8 the same year formed a human chain in protest at the decision.  

Bangladesh Poribesh Bachao Andolon's central committee Chairman Abu Naser Khan and its coordinator Kamal Pasha Chowdhury joined the human chain where the protesters also demanded preservation and restoration of the historic building.

Fazlur Rahman, a visitor from Kaliganj upazila, told that this correspondent that seeing the Kabodak river flowing by the majestic building made his visit worthwhile.

Aside from renovating the building, many other necessary features could be added in the huge compound to turn it into a tourist attraction, he also said.

Senior citizen Abdur Razzak, from Khalishpur Bazar area, said since a museum, a library and a college named after Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman are located in the same compound of the Neel Kuthi, the area could easily be developed for tourism purposes.

Contacted, Afroza Khan Mita, regional director of the Archaeology Department in Khulna, said, "The building was recognised as an archaeological site on June 14, 2012. We prepared an estimation for its renovation work and forwarded it to the ministry concerned."