BANGLADESH. Cultural Heritage Project for Conservation of Monuments. and Sites. Project Findings and Recommendations. Development Programme

Transcription

1 Restricted UNDP/BGD/85/219 Terminal Report BANGLADESH Cultural Heritage Project for Conservation of Monuments and Sites Project Findings and Recommendations Serial No. FMR/CLT/CH/93/216 (UNDP) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Development Programme Paris, 1993

2 BANGLADESH CULTURAL HERITAGE PROJECT FOR CONSERVATION OF MONUMENTS AND SITES Project Findings and Recommendations Report prepared for the Government of the the People s Republic of Bangladesh by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Acting as Executing Agency for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Development Programme

3 UNDP/BGD/85/219 Terminal Report FMR/CLT/CH/93/2 16(UNDP) 8 July 1993 CUUNESCO 1993 Printed in France

4 (1) Table of Contents Page Summary I. INTRODUCTION 11. OBJECTIVES, ACTIVITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION 111. OUTPUTS PRODUCED AND PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED A. Project Outputs B. Work Programme Outstanding C. Problems Encountered and Findings IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (ii) ANNEXES ANNEX A: ANNEX B: ANNEX C: ANNEX D: National Project Staff UNESCO Consultants List of Equipment Provided Fellowships and Study Tours

5 (ii) Summary Total Government input: Tk. 1,825,163 Total UNDP input: US$ 459,756 (a) Obi ectives Development obiective - Conserve and present the country s cultural heritage; and - Increase the population s participation in cultural life. Immediate obiectives - Establish a Building Conservation Policy in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology and Museums; - Train six departmental specialist staff members abroad under fellowships in their respective fields of study; - Carry out excavation and conservation of the exposed remains at Mahastangarh, Bogra; - Excavation and conservation work at Vasu Bihar, Bogra; - Structural repair and preservation of Kantanagar Temple, Dinajpur; - Structural repair and preservation of the residence of poet Rabindranath Tagore at Shahzadpur, Sirajganj; - Establish minimal tourist facilities at the above sites; - Hold a Symposium or workshop to inform universities and foundations of the archaeological activities being undertaken in Bangladesh; - Promote the Campaign for the conservation and preservation of the historical monuments and sites by mounting a travelling exhibition abroad on the selected sites; - Establish a policy for the preparation of an inventory of movable objects/antiquities; - Serve as the National Secretariat for the International Appeal/Campaign.

6 (iii) Outputs sousht and Droduced A long-term Building Conservation Policy of the Department of Archaeology and Museums has been prepared and submitted to the Government for 10 years from July 1987 to June Educational and publicity material pamphlets for Bagerhat, Paharpur and a District Survey Report on Bogra have been published. District Survey Reports on Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi and Dhaka are being edited and will be published at a later date. Only 3 candidates were retained for training out of 6 originally foreseen. So far, only one has completed training (the Architect Engineer), the second one was cleared almost at the end of the project (and thus was not placed), and the third one was unable to obtain clearance. Three study tours were undertaken by Government staff to Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.. Repair and conservation of the massive northern brick rampart at Mahasthangarh has been undertaken. Except for smallscale excavations, no further activities were carried out at Vasu Bihar. The structural repair and preservation of Kantanagar Temple was slow as delivery of the chemicals and drill necessary for inserting the damp-proof membrane was delayed. Work at Rabindranath Tagore s residence has almost been completed. Only the provision of the window grills and the installation of electricity remain to be done. Regarding the establishment of minimal tourist facilities, one visitors shed has already been established at Mahasthangarh. A draft descriptive catalogue of antiquities for the preparation of an inventory of movable objects has been prepared by the Department of Archaeology. (c) Findinss and Recommendations - Several activities foreseen under the project document, for instance training and field works have been delayed. The major difficulty encountered was due to the lengthy process necessary for the clearance of candidatures for international fellowships and consultants in spite of the fact that the project concept and activities had been approved when the project started in As a result, it was impossible to materialize 80% of the international training and 40% of consultancies. The project has also faced difficulties in the supply of some equipment, such as an impregnating machine. Some other sophisticated equip-

7 ment for analysis, e.g. a stereo-microscope, and electrodeposition analyser and X-ray Fluorescence spectrophotometer have been cancelled because it was thought more suitable to review the overall development programme for the laboratory, especially in terms of staff, space, equipment and maintenance. Nevertheless, in spite of the above-mentioned difficulty, the two development objectives, i.e. heritage conservation/ presentation and wider participation in cultural life have been achieved significantly thanks to substantial outputs, namely, among others, conservation policy, promotion, archaeological excavation and conservation, national and international training, and equipment. In addition, thanks to the re-establishment of the Project Office at the Department of Archaeology and Museums, the project results are sustainable after the completion of the project at the end of The immediate problems, which the project was intended to solve were (i) the lack of managerial and technical expertise, (ii) the shortage of funds, equipment and materials necessary for safeguarding works and (iii) weakness in the planning and execution of promotional and fund-raising programmes. These problems have been solved to a limited extent thanks to the project and the International Safeguarding Campaign for Paharpur Vihara and Bagerhat. However, in order for the Government, especially the Department, to be able to secure appropriate resources constantly and to maintain public interest in the cultural heritage of Bangladesh, external assistance such as the one under the project and the Campaign together with other related works, is still essential. Recommendation 1: It is recommended that, in order to complete the overall procedures for the successful conservation/presentation of monuments/sites and its related communications, the Government maintain the Project Office at least until the Campaign has been successfully completed, hopefully by Recommendation 2: It is recommended that, in order to ensure sustainable development in the field of cultural heritage resource management, the UN, especially UNDP and UNESCO, continue to collaborate with the Government in strengthening managerial and technical capacity, and especially that mid-term sub-sectoral evaluation be carried out on heritage safeguarding/development needs vis-8-vis national capacity, if possible durinq

8 - Recommendation 3: It is further recommended that, as a result of the above-mentioned mid-term evaluation, a aood project through which more international support for the Campaign can be provided, be formulated in order for the Government to obtain sufficient capacity in better site management and inter-departmental collaboration. - Recommendation 4: Finally, it is recommended that the Department complete the training and preservation works, which have been foreseen under the project as soon as possible, utilizing fully the project outputs and the available resources. (d) Lessons Learnt - As mentioned above, one of the main difficulties encountered was in the clearance of international consultants during , whose collaboration was essential for the smooth execution of important activities, such as planning, project management and administration, conservation and presentation, on-site training, an international seminar, a travellinq exhibition and communications. The second difficulty was the very lengthy process of candidatures for international training. The third one was difficult procurement of some equipment and chemicals. - Nevertheless, almost at the end of the project period, the project environment improved in the sense that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Department realized that these problems had hindered the smooth execution of the project activities. Consequently, the Project Office was re-established in 1992 after the completion of the project, and it can now execute a supportive project for the Campaign, for instance the UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund for Paharpur Vihara and Bagerhat, more efficiently than before. - Moreover, the Government is aware of the fact that the young archaeological engineers who have undergone training under the project are ready to carry out with enthusiasm ongoing activities in the field of preservation and presentation of monuments and sites. - However, since there is still a risk for the Government to fail in providing proper co-ordination capacity in relation to international support, it is further necessary to maintain the base line, which the Government should keep in terms of technical staff, recurrent costs and administrative procedures (see Recommendations 1 and 2 above).

9 BGD/85/219 - Cultural Heritage Project for Conservation of Monuments and Sites. TERMINAL REPORT I. INTRODUCTION 1. Bangladesh is heir to a rich archaeological heritage. Despite the various destructive activities of Nature and Man for centuries, such extensive fortified citadel ruins as at Mahasthan in Bogra district, representing the earliest city site in Bengal (3rd century B.C. to 15th century A.D.); the 8th century Buddhist monastery and temple at Paharpur in Naogaon district - the largest of its kind in Asia; the impressive series of 8th to 12th century Buddhist remains on the Mainamati-Lalmai ridge in Comilla; the impressive array of 15th century monuments at Bagerhat; historic mosques and tombs of Bagha, Kusumba and Gaur (Firozpur) in Rajshabi; Lalbagh Mughal Fort and scores of other historical monuments scattered throughout the country, representing temples, stupas, mosques, bridges, fortresses and city sites, are still surviving as the treasured heritage of the country. 2. The surviving monuments are distinctive and infallible sources for the reconstruction of the early obscure history of the land. Numerous literary and epigraphic records as well as the accounts of a few Chinese Buddhist pilgrims testify to the existence of a large number of prosperous cities, fortified palaces, temples, monasteries and stupas. Unfortunately most of these edifices have disappeared with the passage of years or are buried beneath ancient mounds scattered throughout the country. In recent years, excavations have been carried out at various sites, but further excavations need to be undertaken, and the structural remains must be protected from the exigencies of a sub-tropical climate. 3. The preservation of cultural heritage is given a low priority in most developing countries, as the needs of other sectors are generally considered more urgent. Therefore the funds available for safeguarding cultural treasures are inadequate. However, today, largely through the efforts of UNESCO, countries are becoming more conscious of the need to protect and preserve their cultural identity along with their efforts to modernize. Planning officials are gradually becoming aware of the linkage between cultural heritage and tourism and how this inter-dependency can indirectly benefit communications and cottage industries. 4. The origin of this project dates back to 1973 when the Government of Bangladesh requested assistance from UNESCO for safeguarding Paharpur. A subsequent mission in 1979 expanded

10 2 Archaeology for assistance from UNDP and UNESCO to help in the expansion and development of the Department s inadequate facilities and lack of trained staff. This request under project BGD/81/007 was translated into the preparation of a Master Plan for the Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh which was concentrated on two major sites of differing qualities - the Archaeological Sites of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur and the ancient Mosque City Bagerhat, formerly known as Kalifatabad. Within the scope of the Master Plan s proposals, the mission and the Department jointly developed the concept of strengthening the Department with the training of their professional staff both locally and abroad as well as the provision of basic equipment to be used for the implementation of the conservation and preservation of the two above-mentioned sites. 5. The two historical sites, i.e. Paharpur and Bagerhat were inscribed on the World Heritage List in These sites are also the subject of an International Safeguarding Campaign which was launched in the same year by the Director-General of UNESCO in response to a request from the Bangladesh Government and on the basis of the decision by the UNESCO Executive Board. In the Plan of Action for this Campaign, the Government of Bangladesh pledged a contribution to the Campaign of about US$800,000 which is equivalent to over 20% of the total estimated costs of the initial 4-year programme. 6. The present project BGD/85/219, which is ostensibly an extension of the former preparatory project BGD/81/007, expands and diversifies the original concentration towards the Master Plan alone - as it is considered that the International Safeguarding Campaign should be for promotional and fund-raising activities in support of the actual conservation and presentation of the two sites. The concentration, therefore, for this new project is towards the strengthening of the Department through provision of essential equipment, training of specialist staff and development of a building conservation policy, so that it can effectively carry out and actively support the Master Plan programme by providing it an administrative secretariat. 7. In addition, it is important to note that the project described in this document extends its focus to some other important monuments that are not addressed by the International Appeal, but which still n d appropriate preservation. 8. Originally anticipated to be implemented in two years, it was initiated in January 1987 with an estimated cost of US$505,339. Subsequently, it had to be revised several times viz: in June 1987; in December 1987; in May 1988; in October 1988; in July 1989; in June 1990; in September 1990; in April 1991; in November 1991 and May 1992, in order to meet various exigencies.

11 11. OBJECTIVES, ACTIVITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION DeVelORment Objective 3 9. The development objective of the project was to conserve and present the country s cultural heritage, and to increase the population s participation in cultural life. Immediate Objective 10. The main objectives of this project have been to assist the Department of Archaeology and Museums in the conservation and preservation of historic monuments and sites in Bangladesh. To this end the immediate objectives of this project were to: establish a building conservation policy in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology and Museums; train six departmental specialist staff members abroad in their respective field of study; carry out excavation and conservation of the exposed remains at Mahasthangarh, Bogra; undertake excavation and conservation work at Vasu Bihar, Bogra; complete structural repair and preservation of Kantanagar Temple, Dinajpur; carry out structural repair and preservation of the residence of poet Rabindranath Tagore at Shahzadpur, Sirajganj; establish minimal tourist facilities at the above sites; hold a symposium or workshop to inform universities and foundations about the archaeological activities being undertaken in Bangladesh; promote the International Safeguarding Campaign for the conservation and preservation of the historical monuments (Paharpur Vihara and Bagerhat) by mounting a travelling exhibition abroad on the selected sites; establish a policy for the preparation of an inventory of movable objects/antiquities; and serve as the National Secretariat for the International Safeguarding Campaign.

12 4 UNDP Contribution 11. The project content consisted of the provision of national and international personnel, equipment and supporting services. As far as the personnel component was concerned UNDP was to provide the following: National personnel: International personnel: Administrative support staff: (See Annex A) Government Contribution National Project Adviser Architect/Restorer Hydrologist Chemist (Museologi st) Secretary - 1 Clerk/Typist - 1 Driver The Government was to provide office space and other facilities available at the Department of Archaeology and Museums. Proiect Control 13. The project was to be under the control of the Department of Archaeology and Museums in the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Activities ProDosed 14. Activities proposed included: setting up a future building conservation policy excavation at Mahasthangarh and Vasu Bihar mobilization of the Master Plan conservation of Kantanagar temple, Dinajpur repair and rehabilitation at Rabindranath Tagore's residence setting up a travelling exhibition preparation of inventory of movable objects organization of a symposium initiating and arranging study tours publication of survey reports training of staff Management and Implementation Proiect Office 15. The Central Project Office with a minimal staff, consisting of the National Project Adviser, one Secretary, one Clerk/Typist and two Drivers worked throughout the project period (see Annex A) -

13 5 Consultants 16. Provision for short-term international consultants was made in order to assist in the implementation of project activities in technical matters and to advise on future activities. Unfortunately, some visits were considerably delayed and even postponed due to administrative procedures which affected the progress of works. Eventually, the service of a museologist was dropped from the list and a hydrologist was commissioned to the project instead, to assist in the drainage work at Paharpur. Also a short-term consultant, an archaeological chemist, was invited to the site to assist in the treatment and consolidation of the affected terracotta plaques. Annex B shows the list of UNESCO Consultants who served on the project. 17. Out of the list of equipment embodied in the project document, the following articles with accessories had arrived at the project office in March 1989: - BFE-731G Balance analytical Mettler AE200-S - PHJ-253-K PH Meter Griffin Model 40 BNC - PHK-750-B Portable PH Meter (For the statement of equipment received under this project, see Annex C. ) 18. The following items were deleted from the list on the reconsideration of the Laboratory Branch of the Department: Muffle Furnace Gallenkaup FSE-620 Stereo-Microscope Electrodeposition Analyser - X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrophotometer 19. The X-Ray diffraction equipment was very much underestimated and therefore, it was also deleted from the list. With regard to the computer, this item was found to be of no immediate use as the inventory of the movable objects had not been completed as yet. So, it was decided to provide a computer together with essential accessories separately under a UNESCO/Japan Trust Project later, which started in An impregnating machine with accessories for the archaeological laboratory was ordered by UNESCO, Paris, in October 1989 from the project budget. It appears to have been despatched from Sweden by SS.ALEXANDER ZAWADSKI on 31 December 1989, which arrived at Chittagong Port on 28 March 1990 after weathering a storm in the high seas, causing damage to it. UNDP s Clearing Agent, Homebound Packers and Shippers, reported on that three damaged machines without cases, suspected to be the impregnating machine, were lying in Shed No. 7 for which they requested the Project Office to send someone from the Department to identify them. Accordingly, an enquiry team was sent to

14 6 Chittagong on 27 May They reported that the three damaged machines, alleged to be the impregnating machine, were not the Project s cargo. This was immediately communicated to the UNDP/Clearing Agent, Dhaka, who vigorously pursued the case with a view to obtaining a Shortlanding Certificate for the above machines from the Chittagong Port Authority in order to enable them to formally lodge an insurance claim for the same through UNESCO, Paris. It is hoped that the matter will be settled as soon as possible. e- 21. For the transfusion of damp-proof chemicals (patented as PCM8) at the Kantanagar temple, as envisaged in the project activities (for training and experiments), orders were placed for the supply of the required quantity of chemicals and a Rotary Percussion Drill together with bits and other accessories in September However, in order to make up for the delayed arrival of the above-mentioned equipment and the chemicals (PCMB) in 1991, separate UNESCO contractual arrangements were made with the Free School Street Property Ltd. in Dhaka. This firm which is the local agent for the PCM8 successfully assisted the Project Office in the execution of the above-mentioned training and experiments at Lalbagh Fort: Audience Hall in Dhaka, instead of Kantanagar temple, for practical reasons. It is further foreseen that the Department of Archaeology and Museums will continue to utilize the delivered items for on-going experiments at the sites listed in the project document OUTPUTS PRODUCED AND PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED A. Project OutDuts Buildinq Conservation Policy 22. A long-term Building Conservation Policy of the Department of Archaeology and Museums has been prepared for execution during the last decade of this century. According to the Policy, it is foreseen to conserve a total of 80 important historical monuments and sites. The total cost for the conservation works is estimated at Tk.160,000, The status of educational and publicity materials, pamphlets and district survey reports is as follows: a) Educational/publicitv materials, pamphlets on: - Bagerhat - Paharpur - Mahastan/ Vasu-Bihar i [ACCU has published a number of articles on the cultural background of Bangladesh and on Paharpur and Bagerhat in its magazine: The Asia and the Pacific Culture, No.43, Asian Cultural Centre for UNESCO, Tokyo, Japan (NGO)

15 7 b) District Survey ReDorts on: - Bogra : Already published - Rangpur - Dinajpur - Rajshahi - Dhaka FellowshiDs Survey Reports of the greater districts, of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Pabna andrajshahi are completed in draft form, but were notpublishedduringthe project period. 24. As regards the Fellowship training programme, six candidates from the Department were provided in the project document, but the Government subsequently decided to cancel the programme for two museologists and one epigraphist and to utilize the saved funds for additional consultancies. Of the remaining three candidates, the architect from the Department of Archaeology and Museums participated successfully in the ICCROM course on architectural conservation from January to June For another candidate, the Government clearance was issued in July 1990 for a 10-month degree course in field archaeology and conservation at the Institute of Archaeology in London (UK). Regrettably, however, the time left for the placement process for the candidate was so short that this important training could not materialize. As for the clearance for the assistant archaeological chemist from the Department for a 3-month training in Belgium, the Project Office could not obtain his clearance from the Ministry during the project period. Thus, it was decided that this training would be carried out later, possibly under the UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund for Paharpur and Bagerhat. Studv Tour 25. Under the Study Tour programme, the Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums visited the UNESCO International Safeguarding Campaign sites in Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka during the period from 16 April to 6 May 1988 (21 days). The National Project Adviser and the Deputy Chief, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, also completed their Study Tour to Pakistan and Thailand from 16 to 27 January 1989 (12 days), but the rest was cancelled without negative effect to the project. Excavation/Exploration at Mahasthanqarh 26. The repair and conservation work of the major part of the massive northern brick rampart, excavated in 1990 was satisfactorily carried out. This irregularly aligned rampart was repaired with face brickwork right up to the exposed gateway complex. However, a series of planned weep-holes at the bottom of the rebuilt wall should be provided further as a precautionary measure against collapse during the monsoon season.

16 Excavation Prosramme at Vasu Bihar Except for small-scale excavations carried out here since for which a total of Tk.1,50,000 was allocated and spent - no further activities were carried out at Vasu Bihar. Structural ReDair/Preservation at Kantanagar, 28. As mentioned above, due to the delayed arrival at the site of the chemicals and drill, necessary for inserting the dampproof membrane, the planned activity was slow. In the meanwhile the degradation of the terracotta plaques due to salt-action continued and the growth of fungi on the interior walls increased. On arrival of the equipment conservation work could be completed. In the meantime the higher floor inside the temple was to be excavated down to a depth of 12 below the terracotta plaques, then the damp-proof membrane could be inserted. This work was to be carried out during the dry season before the onset of the monsoon. Collaboration and co-ordination between the Department of Archaeology and the contracting firm (Free School Street Property) was therefore essential. Before inserting the damp-proof silicone, tests were carried out to measure the moisture content of the wall in order to compare them with the result after one year. For this the speedy-meter, in possession of the Free School Street Property, was used. Structural ReRair/Preservation at Rabindranath Taqore s Residence 29. Work at Rabindranath Tagore s residence has almost been completed. It is a fine example of conservation work. The only remaining works to be done here are the provision of the window grills and the installation of electricity. Except for a few items all the furniture has already been cleaned and repaired and is ready for display. The showcases are almost ready for the display of a large number of articles belonging to the poet as well as a collection of 2319 books. The landscaping has been completed except for the access path from the gate to the entrance. Establishment of Minimal Tourist Facilities 30. One visitors shed at Mahasthangarh has already been established. Inventory of Movable Obiects 31. A draft descriptive catalogue of antiquities for the preparation of a proper inventory of movable objects has been prepared by the Department of Archaeology. Once the computer is available the data can be properly stored and distributed. Svmpo s ium 32. Arrangements to organize an International Symposium on the Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh could not be initiated in view

17 9 of the delay in obtaining the External Resources Division's approval of the project extension in Meanwhile, however, this project not only provided financial support in the logistic sector to an International Conservation Workshop, organized at Dhaka from 29 March to 7 April 1989, but also the Project Director and the National Project Adviser actively participated in it by contributing illustrated lectures, on conservation principles and various conservation activities undertaken in Bangladesh. However, in the project's TPR Meeting held on 24 June 1990, it was decided to drop the proposed International Symposium. On-site Training 33. Excavation and exploration work at Mahasthan and Vasu Bihar, Bogra, was completed for the winter season in February A field training camp was opened on that occasion at the site which was attended by all junior officers of the Department and some university students. Promotional Activities 34. Two colour films were prepared on the monuments of Bagerhat and Paharpur, in 1989, through the Department of Films and Publications. The one on Bagerhat is ready for release for public viewing on Bangladesh Television and in the cinema halls of Bangladesh, and the one on Paharpur needs editing and finalization of the script. ACCU has published a number of articles on the cultural background of Bangladesh and on Paharpur and Bagerhat in its magazine: The Asia and the Pacific Culture, No.43, Various aid-giving agencies from several countries were contacted in for financial and technical assistance, in cash and kind, for the preservation of Paharpur and Bagerhat. As a result, Norway contributed a museum building at Paharpur, and the UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund Project for Paharpur and Bagerhat materialized. Guide Books 35. Under the project, the guide book on "The Buildings of Khan Jahan in and around Bagerhat" by Dr Nazimuddin Ahmed was published by the Dhaka University Press in Bangladesh in Its sale proceeds, like the earlier two, will syphon back to the Trust Fund for the conservation of monuments at Bagerhat and Paharpur. Publici tv 36. As for the publicity campaign for Paharpur and Bagerhat, the Department of Post and Telegraph prepared and released in October 1988 four commemorative stamps showing both of the monuments. 37. A projection of the Shait Gumbad Mosque at Bagerhat and the Buddhist Monastery of Paharpur with suitable slogans have been regularly on display on Bangladesh Television since 1987.

18 The National Project Adviser and the Director of Archaeology read papers on the importance of Paharpur Vihara in the Buddhist legacy in Asia at the International Seminar on Paharpur Civilization and Buddhist Heritage in Bangladesh. This symposium was sponsored by the 'Bangladesh Bouddha Krishti Prachar Sangha' in Dhaka between 16 and 20 January Two documentary films on both the Paharpur and Bagerhat monuments have been prepared by the Department of Archaeology through the Department of Films and Publications. The film on Bagerhat is now ready for release and projection on both the cinema and television screens at national and international levels. The duration of each film is about 30 minutes and is rendered in both English and Bengali. 3- B. Work Proqramme Outstandinq 40. Although the exhaustive conservation work of Kuthibari at Shahzadpur was virtually completed, the fabrication and fitting of the window grills for the security of the displayed objects and concealed electrification of the building still remains to be done. 41. Likewise, although the conservation work of the recently exposed massive northern defence wall of Mahasthan citadel has been mostly completed, its gateway complex still requires to be attended to immediately. 42. Although some building materials and chemicals required for the repair and conservation of the Kantanagar Temple in Dina jpur were procured in early 1989 and some minor repair work, chemical treatment and cleaning of the numerous terracotta panels badly affected by lichen and fungus, especially at the lower level, were executed, its major repair work, transfusion of damp-proof course at the base and floor, replacement of affected terracottas and the restoration of its nine collapsed ornamented towers on the receding roof-top, still remains to be done. 43. As regards the fellowship training programme for six Departmental candidates which were provided for in the project document, except for one, all the others were either dropped or could not materialize, mainly due to unexpected delay in processing, thus lack of time for placement of candidates. 44. The preparation of an inventory of movable objects of historical value in the Department of Archaeology and Museums has been practically completed and recorded in the Antiquity Registers. However, this inventory should be updated and the available data should be processed in the computer. C. Problems Encountered and Findinqs 45. The principal cause for slow performance of objectives is that the formalities of the Government and UNESCO took longer than expected. As an example, the clearance of the four departmental candidates for the fellowship training by the

19 11 concerned Ministry took over 3 years. By the time the candidates were cleared by the Government the academic session of all those diploma courses in the United Kingdom unfortunately expired, and as such, the nominated candidates could not avail of the opportunity and the fellowship lapsed. 46. Unexpected delay occurred in the clearance of international consultants during As a result there were corresponding delays in execution of some of the components and in one instance, even when the belated clearance was received, the hydrologist who was the author of the vital Drainage Programme at Paharpur, could not spare his services as he was engaged elsewhere. 47. Some communication gaps between the Project Office and the Executing Agency in terms of financial administration also hindered timely actions during For instance, in order to reconcile variance of expenditure figures under different heads, a prolonged correspondence between the two took place, resulting in delay in the approval of the budget for 1990 till June 1990, the month when the project was due to come to an end. 48. Consequently, the project activities during the last 6 months of the project period virtually came to a halt for lack of financial and administrative authorization. PaharDur Conservation and Drainase Procrramme 49. Although the drainage programme at Paharpur Buddhist Vihara was not included in various activities envisaged in the current project document, the provision for a hydrologist was made in the Revised Project Document 'D' in December 1987 and the consultant was able to co-ordinate the works at the site. This programme, so vital for the preservation of the monument was partly financed from UNESCO's World Heritage Fund (US$ 20,000). An additional amount of Tk.3,14, (US$ 10,140.43) in local currency was received in as cash flow from the savings of the International Working Group meetings. In addition, a total quantity of 510 Metric Tons of wheat (equal to Tk.2,790,000) was donated by the Food for Work Programme for the excavation of the courtyard in three equal instalments during the years 1988,1989 and I 50. With the above aid in cash and kind, a 21'-0" wide drain line all around the central temple was excavated and linked up with a newly dug-up tank on the south-west corner of the monastery. Moreover, it was also possible to remove huge quantities of spoil and a substantial quantity of excavated earth outside. In addition to the inner drainage work, a fairly wide drain along the outer perimeter of the monastery wall was completed. The 'V' shaped drain runs under a recently built culvert over a village road towards the south-east 'beel' where all the water is discharged.

20 12 IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Project Results 51. In spite of administrative difficulties, the results of the project are very encouraging. There is already considerable public awareness of the need to protect and present the cultural heritage of Bangladesh. 7 7: Y, Proiect Office 52. The Project Office was re-establishedin 1992, mainly thanks to the project results and the commitment of the Government to the safeguarding of the cultural heritage with universal value, like Paharpur and Bagerhat. This Office is responsible for the appropriate co-ordination of the International Safeguarding Campaign activities together with the smooth execution of its supporting extra-budgetary projects, such as the UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund for Paharpur and Bagerhat. Therefore, the maintenance of the Office will be essential for the success of the Campaign. At the same time, it is strongly hoped that the administrative and technical procedures (including promotion and communications), which the Office is establishing could be applied to all the preservation works in the country. Thus four recommendations were drawn up in this regard: Recommendation 1: It is recommended that, in order to complete the overall procedures for the successful conservation/preservation of monuments/sites and its related communications, the Government maintain the Project Office at least until the Campaign has been successfully completed, hopefully by Recommendation 2: It is recommended that, in order to ensure sustainable development in the field of cultural heritage resource management, the UN, especially UNDP and UNESCO, continue to collaborate with the Government in strengthening managerial and technical capacity, and especially that mid-term sub-sectoral evaluation be carried out on heritage safeguarding/development needs vis-z-vis national capacity, if possible during Recommendation 3: It is further recommended that, as a result of the above-mentioned mid-term evaluation, a good project through which more international support for the Campaign can be provided be formulated in order for the Government to obtain sufficient capacity in better site management and inter-departmental collaboration. Recommendation 4: Finally, it is recommended that the Department complete the training and preservation works, which have been foreseen under the project as soon as possible, utilizing fully the project outputs and the available resources.

21 13 ANNEX A NATIONAL PROJECT STAFF Name National Consultant AHMED Naz imuddin Support Personnel KHAN MD. Nurul Karim HAMID MD. Abdul MOBARAK MD. Abdul KHAN Shahj ahan KHAN Abdus Subahan HOQUE Enamul Position Held National Project Adviser, Archaeologist/Historian Secretary C1 erk/typ ist Clerk/Typist Driver Driver Driver From - To '

22 14 ANNEX B UNESCO CONSULTANTS, Name of Consultant Country of Orisin Field of SDecializat ion Duration From - To SANDAY John I U.K. 1 Arch it ec t / Restorer GOODMAN James U.K. Hydrologist TROCH Patrick Belgium Arch it ec t/ Restorer DE WITTE Eddy ' Belgium Chemist

23 15 ANNEX C LIST OF EOUIPMENT PROVIDED No.0 uantitv Items BEF-731-G Balance Analytical Mettler AE200-S Weighing Range Gr Readability 0.1 Mg PHJ-253-K PH Meter Griffin Model 40 BNC Socket 0 to 14~0.5 PH without battery PHM C PH Electrode without detachable lead combination, epoxy bodied, gel filled PHM F lead, detachable, one meter long BNC plug PHM-HBA-22OU Combination electrode redox without lead PHM-HBA-075F lead detachable, one meter long BNC plug PHM Y PH electrode without detachable lead reference calomel PHM E lead detachable one meter long 4mm bunched pin plug PHM B PH electrode without detachable lead combination spear for soil, 120 x 12mm PHM F lead detachable 1 meter long BNC plug YRC D carrying case for YRC-480-E & PHJ-253-K PHJ V pack of 50 buffer powder sachets PH 4.0 PHJ s pack of 50 buffer powder sachets PH 7.0 PHJ P pack of 50 buffer powder sachets PH 9.0 Remarks All items from 1 to 18 received on and handed over to the Dept. of Arch. on

24 16 - No Quant itv rolls rolls rolls rolls Items ANNEX C fcont dl PHM C PH electrode without detachable lead combination epoxy bodied gel filled PHM F lead detachable one meter long PNC plug PHK-750-B portable PH meter Jenway PHK-BBA-510K shoulder carrying case for Jenway 3070 & 3100 Impregnating Machine Semi-matic Laminator Platen size 620 x 770 mm, 70 seconds timer and buzzer included 1200 mm (H) x 900 mm (W) x 1180mm (D) Weight: 350 kg Power requirements: 30A/6.85 KW PTEE cloth 1 x 1 m AREA bonded fibre 1016 mm x 100 m ARCHIBOND 1016 mm x 100 m ARCHIVAL blotting paper 860 X 1229 mm 50sh Set of spare parts Remarks The delivery of items 19 to 24 will be completed by the Department of Archaeology and Museums and UNESCO as soon as possible

25 17 ANNEX D FELLOWSHIPS AND STUDY TOURS. Fellowships : Only one comdleted ~~ Name (profession) Abdul Hakim (Archaeological engineer) Abdul Khaleque (Archaeologist) Masud Hussain (Archaeological cheni s t ) Field and Place ICCROM course on architectural conservation (Rome, Italy) Archaeological conservation, Institute of Chemical conservation, Royal Institute of Artistic Heritage (Brussels, Belgium) Period and Remarks 5-months, January - June 1989 Report evaluated lo-months, Unable to attend due to shcrtage of time for preparation 3 -months Unable to participate due to delayed clearanca Studv Tours : Three Studv Tours comdleted Name (profession) Shamsul Alam (Director, Department of Archaelogy and Museums I Nazimuddin Ahmed (National Project Adviser) Nazir Ahmed Bhuiyan (Deputy Chief, Ministry of Cultural Affairs) Field and Place UNESCO Safeguarding campaign sites in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand UNESCO Safeguarding Campaign sites in Pakistan and Thailand UNESCO Safeguarding Campaign sites in Pakistan and Thailand Period and Remarks 21-days, April - May 1988 Report evaluated 12-days, January 1989 Report evaluated 12-days, January 1989 Report evaluated