The British Council hosted a Cultural Heritage Protection meet-up at its Fuller Road premises in Dhaka on September 12.
This event brought together key stakeholders from across the cultural heritage protection sector in the capital city.
Its primary purpose was to foster collaboration and discussion among participants, reinforcing the sector’s collective commitment to safeguarding the nation’s tangible, intangible, and digital cultural heritage.
A highlight of the morning was a presentation by a visiting team from the Archaeology Department of Durham University, UK, led by Professor Robin Coningham.
This team is currently engaged with the ‘Varendra Research Museum Training Program-Phase 2’ at the University of Rajshahi, supported by the Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) — the UK’s main response to international cultural heritage protection.
The diverse range of participants who attended underscores the significance placed on cultural heritage protection in Bangladesh. Attendees included academics, leaders of cultural institutions, and practitioners from various fields within the cultural heritage sector.
Susan Vise, head of office and Unesco representative to Bangladesh, remarked: “The revitalization of the Varendra Research Museum is a really important project, and it’s fantastic to see what Durham University is doing in partnership with the museum, with the local partners, ULAB, and with the British Council. This will really result in something that is good for all of Bangladesh in terms of being able to upscale and improve the way that museum management is done in the country.”
Santua Tripura, of Ruwang Collective Arts, an artists’ collaborative, stated: “Being part of the Cultural Heritage Protection Meet-up organised by the British Council in Dhaka, filled me with a sense of shared responsibility and hope. It reinforced that protecting heritage is a collective journey, and through Ruwang Collective Arts, which works for Indigenous peoples’ memory, culture, and art, we are committed to nurturing this spirit so that everyone who cares for cultural heritage can belong to it.”
The meet-up reaffirms the British Council’s deep commitment to supporting the heritage protection institutions and practitioners to protect cultural heritage in Bangladesh.
David Knox, director programs Bangladesh, British Council, observed: “We are pleased to host Durham University colleagues in Bangladesh for the Varendra Research Museum training program, enhancing future museum professionals’ skills. This partnership highlights Rajshahi as a centre for cultural protection in the country and in South Asia. Professor Robin Coningham’s Dhaka visit also provided an opportunity for valuable briefings with officials, academics, and professionals on recent developments in Rajshahi.”
The UK’s main response to international cultural heritage protection is delivered through the Cultural Protection Fund (CPF), which is led by the British Council in partnership with the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
CPF launched in South Asia in 2022, bringing to this region the fund’s international work to safeguard cultural heritage at risk due to conflict and/or climate change and to contribute to sustainable social stability and economic prosperity.
In Bangladesh, the British Council launched CPF for the first time in Bangladesh in November 2024.
