9 Cumilla archaeological sites, houses to be turned into museums

Three historically important houses and six archaeological sites are being developed as museums in the district, aiming to attract more tourists.

The houses will be built as memorial museums while the archaeological sites will be developed as open museums. The memorial museums will preserve the memories of the renowned personalities of the region, said official sources.

Of them, Laksham’s homestead of Nawab Faizunnesa Choudhurani, city’s Sachin Dev Burman’s house, and Dhormosagor’s Rani Kuthi will be established as memorial museums.

Besides, Kotbari’s Rupban Mura Bihar, Etakhola Bihar, Lotikot Bihar, Rani Maynamati’s palace, Jagannath Temple or Seventeen-Jewel Temple in Sadar upazila and Lalmai’s Chondimura Temple will be developed as open museum to attract more tourists in the district which is already famous for Maynamati and Shalban Bihar.

According to the district office of Archaeology Department, around 4 million tourists visit Shalbon Bihar and Maynamoti Museum in Kotbari area as well as other private recreational places every year.

The number of visitors would exceed 8 million once the nine museums are opened to public. The government can earn a good amount of revenue from this tourism sector, said its officials.

According to the sources, a proposal for constructing the nine museums was sent to The Department of Archaeology from its Cumilla office in January, 2018.

Taking to UNB, Alam Imrul, director of Cultural and Tourism Organization, said, “The district has numerous archaeological sites. Through the opening of the nine more museums, the tourism sector here will flourish. It will also help boost motel and restaurant business of the area."

Ataur Rahman, regional director of Cumilla-based archaeology department office of Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, said the work of preserving the homestead of Nawab Faizunnesa is underway and most of the renovation work of Sachin Dev Burman’s house has been completed.

The construction of ticket counters for Rupban Mura Bihar and Etkhola Bihar are underway. The archaeological significance of Cumilla will reach a new height after the opening of the nine museums, he added.