Villagers divided over rebuilding Mughal-era mosque

Two groups of villagers are divided over demolishing a Mughal-era mosque and building a new one in place of it. The mosque, situated at Gilabari village in Saptibari union under Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat, was built in 1565 during the rule of the Mughal dynasty. Although a group is in favour of demolishing the ancient structure, the other is for preserving this heritage site through the intervention of the Department of Archaeology.

A three-member team of the Department of Archaeology, led by Hafizur Rahman, the custodian of Dinajpur Kantaji Temple Museum, visited the ancient mosque on Sunday (January 30).

Hafizur Rahman said they had visited the Mughal-era mosque at Gilabari village. They are currently monitoring it. This ancient mosque will soon be brought under the Archaeological Department and declared a heritage site.

"We have told the villagers that this ancient mosque cannot be demolished. This is an ancient architecture. It needs to be preserved," he said.

"We have also requested the local administration to keep the site under surveillance," he added.

The mosque, which is 42 feet long and 16 feet wide, lies on seven decimals of land. The mosque has 13 domes (gambuj). There are also three domes at the entrance to the mosque. There is also an ancient well in front of the mosque. The locals call this mosque Puran Jame Masjid (Old Jame Mosque). Many devotees from faraway places come here to offer prayers. A total of 40 Muslims can pray together in two rows.

Due to the gathering of a large number of devotees, the mosque committee has constructed a veranda along with the main mosque.

Alhaz Ershad Alam, 76, the president of the mosque committee, said that a section of the villagers has been trying to demolish the ancient mosque and build a new one for a long. On the other hand, many villagers are opposing them as well.

"We want that the ancient mosque is preserved by the Department of Archaeology," he said.

"The mosque is laced with history and tradition. It is the testimony of so many events, therefore, it cannot be demolished," he said, adding that "The ancient well in front of the mosque was once the only source of drinking water for the people of our village."

Sabuj Alam, general secretary of the mosque committee, a segment of the villagers wants to demolish the mosque as there is not enough space for the devotees inside the mosque.

However, it is possible to build a new mosque without demolishing the ancient one. So, discussions are going on with everyone, he said.

Nuruzzaman Mia, 72, a freedom fighter who lives next to the mosque, said he heard from his grandfather that the structure of the mosque was taller than its present shape.

"We used to collect water from the well along with other villagers in our childhood," he said.