Aiming at bolstering the tourism industry, Rajshahi City Corporation has taken up steps to repair and renovate several ancient Buddhist Monasteries in Rajshahi. Those monasteries remained in a dilapidated state for centuries. Already some of those monasteries have been renovated which got a renewed face lift. All those monasteries are being renovated by following the main design.
Rajshahi City Corporation was renovating the monasteries under the financial assistance of Indian government. Already renovation of two monasteries have been finished. People of Rajshahi have been demanding to renovate those monasteries for a long time.
Ashraful Haque, Chief Engineer of RCC informed, a total of Taka 212.2 million ( Taka 21 crore 22 lakh) has been allocated for the reconstruction and renovation of Rajshahi Sadharan Granthagar and five monasteries of Rajshahi. Out of the allocated amount, Taka 1.3 million will be spent for renovation of five monasteries. One contractor working with the project informed, two monasteries have been renovated and rest five will also be renovated within a short time.
RCC sources further mentioned, there are 8-10 monasteries inside Rajshahi City Corporation areas out of which five are being renovated, Rest of the monasteries will also be renovated within a short time by using own fund of RCC. Tourism industries in Rajshahi will get momentum following those monasteries, informed officials of RCC.
After visiting a monastery at Sopura area, it is seen the monastery was renovated by following the old design. Also the inside and outside walls have been decorated exquisitely. The brass made minarets of the monastery have also been repaired and renovated.
Locals of Sopura informed, the monasteries remained in a dilapidated state for a long time. The walls of those monasteries became fragile and damp; a large number of trees including banyan trees and shrubs had grown on the walls and floor of the monetary. People living beside the monasteries were always in panic thinking that might be fallen on their houses at any moment.
Bablu, a resident of Seroil Mathpukur area of the city informed, the large Seroil moth or monastery is also need renovation and the land beside the monastery has also been encroached by illegal occupiers. He demanded to free the land of the monastery from the grip of encroachers.
Mahbub Siddiquy, Founder of Heritage, Rajshahi, said all monasteries of Rajshahi city should be repaired and renovated. By renovating those, the beauty of the city will be enhanced and the monasteries will also be saved from ruination. He further said, many houses and slums have been build at the land beside the monasteries which belonged to the properties of those monasteries. Those houses should also be demolished and the land should be freed. There renovated monasteries of the city will also become a great tourist attraction, he added.
