'Neglect' wearing away the ancient boat

ARTEFACT IN RUINS: This 200-year-old wooden boat, kept under the open sky near the Buddhist temple in Kuakata sea beach since December last year, is getting damaged in sun and rain, thanks to the negligence of the department concerned. PHOTO: STAR

The 200-year-old Rakhine boat kept beside the Buddhist temple in Kuakata tourist spot is getting damaged in sun and rain under the open sky.

The archaeology department with the help of Bangladesh Army brought the boat there in December last year from Gangamoti area on the beach where the boat emerged in July 2012.

Many tourists visit the traditional boat but it is getting damaged as it dries in the sun and wets in rain, said Md Shahjahan Akon, a local resident.

He blamed 'sheer neglect' in this regard by the authorities concerned.

The government should take immediate step to build a shed over the boat to protect it from sun and rain, Ruman Imtiaz Tusher, president of Kuakata press club.

Afroza Khan Mita, assistant director of the archaeology department, also member secretary of the 'boat salvage committee', said, "We are making a plan to build a shed over the boat. We are looking for fund for this and hope to start work by October."

Locals saw the boat on the beach near the tamarisk garden on July 2 in 2012 during low tide. The boat 72-foot-long and 22.5-foot-wide boat with only two feet depth emerged as sand around it got removed.

"Many Rakhine community men came here from Myanmar in 1784 with around 50 boats to save themselves from torture of Bodpaya who captured the power after defeating Thamada, the then king of Arakan province. The boat might be one of those," said Uchasi Matubbar, 70, a Rakhine leader of Karanipara in Kuakata.