France to send all artefacts back to Dhaka

The French government would send back all the Bangladeshi artefacts that were flown to Paris for an exhibition at Guimet Museum last month, the newly appointed French ambassador yesterday said.
"The issue is being resolved," Ambassador Chrley Causeret told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury at the foreign ministry, adding that the artefacts would be returned "as soon as possible", without mentioning any specific date.
A foreign ministry press release yesterday said the French envoy also assured the adviser of sending back the objects of art.
The Bangladesh government sent 42 artefacts for the Paris exhibition; but after the heist of two Vishnu statuettes from the airport on December 22, the government cancelled sending the remaining items and asked the French government not to hold the exhibition.
The ambassador did not say who to bear the shipment costs of the artefacts to Dhaka. He only said the issue is being resolved.
The press release said Ambassador Causeret told the foreign affairs adviser that bilateral relations between France and Bangladesh are excellent and that the artefact issue would not have any negative impact on them under any circumstances.
He also said he would work to promote bilateral relations across the political, economic and cultural spectrum during his time in office here.
Adviser Iftekhar later told journalists that France "occupies a very important position in the world and Bangladesh will work closely with her in bilateral and multilateral fields".
He said Ambassador Causeret is "an old friend of Bangladesh, having served here immediately after the independence".