Khamarbari demolition continues

Dhaka North City Corporation’s only archaeological heritage site, the 118-year-old Khamarbari, was the oldest research laboratory in the country. It was partially demolished on Sunday, despite protests from concerned citizens. Chief Executive of Urban Study Group (USG), Taimur Islam, who held the protest told the Dhaka Tribune that workers began the demolishing the walls sometime between 11am to 12pm. “I am afraid the whole building will be demolished tonight because they have brought in the bulldozers this afternoon,” he said. Assistant Attorney General Shams-ud-Doha Talukder told the Dhaka Tribune that when he contacted the Public Works Department’s (PWD) additional chief engineer (admin), he was told that the PWD was not bound by any verbal orders of the court. Talukder said: "Our deputy attorney general was asked to inform all related offices not to continue demolishing the Khamarbari laboratory building until Tuesday. He then told the attorney general to relay that information to the authorities concerned to stop the demolition of the building but somehow they are still continuing to the demolition. “I tried to contact the chief engineer but he did not answer my calls. Then I called the additional chief engineer (admin) who told me that the PWD is not bound by any verbal court ruling." The colonial bungalow, an early and integral part of the area known as Khamarbari, is a hybrid European architecture with Subcontinental features that formerly housed Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (Bari). The century-old building, which has been monumental in allowing for research that furthered agriculture, a crucial sector of the country, has been surprisingly approved for demolishing. USG, a Dhaka-based coalition of concerned citizens, organised Sunday's protest, demanding the demolishing activities be stopped, and measures taken to protect the heritage site in the heartland of Dhaka. USG was supported by Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba), who decried the “big development” set to replace the oldest research laboratory. The protesters on Saturday were temporarily able to stop the workers from demolishing the building.