The Urban Study Group in a press conference on Wednesday demanded the legal measures for protecting and preserving Mughal-era architectural relic ‘Bara Katra’ in the Old Town in Dhaka.
Chief executive of the conservation organisation, Taimur Islam, alleged that Ali Hossain, who claimed ownership of Holding 15 on Bara Katra Lane, illegally demolished a section of the listed heritage site in August, violating the law and High Court directives meant to preserve and protect ancient relics and monuments.  Â
He said that this section that faced multiple demolition attempts starting in 2015, was partially demolished in 2022, and could not be fully destroyed due to media reports.
This time, however, it was fully demolished, taking advantage of the emergency situation in the country caused by the student-led mass uprising that led the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5.Â
‘Legal measures need to be taken to preserve and protect this significant historical and heritage structure,’ Taimur said, adding that if the Dhaka City Corporation, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, and the Department of Archaeology had taken actions earlier, the encroacher would not have dared to demolish this section.
Built in between 1,644 and 1,646AD by Mir Abul Qasim, diwan (chief revenue official) of Shah Shuja, second son of Emperor Shah Jahan, Bara Katra, a caravan sarai, stands at Chawk Bazar on the north bank of Buriganga River.
The CEO said that various parts of the Boro Katra complex had been illegally used as shops and residential units, while its core zone served as the Jamia Hossainia Ashraful Ulum Madrassah.
He called on the adviser to the interim government, Asif Nazrul, to issue a directive to preserve this heritage site and to take measures to relocate the encroachers in phases.
