BGB recovers touchstone idols and fragments in Dinajpur and Thakurgaon

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in separate drives in Dinajpur and Thakurgaon has recovered several stone idols and fragments of archaeological significance.

"A joint team of BGB and SRB, led by the battalion commander, conducted a drive at Tenapara village under Bochaganj upazila of Dinajpur around 2:30 am on Wednesday," said a BGB press release this noon.

During the drive, the team recovered a 35.6-kg white stone idol fragment, the release said.

In a separate drive, a BGB team recovered an 87.1-kg sandstone fragment, a 30.7-kg white stone fragment and three black stone fragments weighing 35.6 kg, 16.8 kg and 18.6 kg respectively from Chandohar village under Pirganj upazila of Thakurgaon around 4:30 am today.

Acting on secret information, BGB members conducted the drives after suspecting that a smuggling syndicate had stockpiled the idols and stone fragments at the sites for trafficking them to a neighbouring country, the release said.

Officials of the Department of Archaeology examined the recovered stone artifacts at 11 am today and confirmed that they were archaeologically significant.

Under the Antiquities Preservation Act, 1968, amended in 1976, the Department of Archaeology is responsible for preserving such archaeological artifacts on behalf of the government.

According to the BGB, the estimated seizure value of the recovered black, sandstone and white stone fragments is Tk 1.299 crore. However, their actual value is much higher considering their archaeological significance.

The BGB will continue intelligence-based operations to protect the country's archaeological heritage and prevent the smuggling of antiquities.

The force will also continue its efforts to combat drugs, human trafficking, arms and other trans-border crimes, the release added.