Statue of Buddha

By Sangeeta Barua, South Bashabo, Dhaka
4 May 2004, 18:00 PM
There are small museums established in the cantonments. One such museum is the Rifles Museum at Pilkhana. The main objective of the museum is to display the chronological history and tradition of the Rifles. Very recently, I had the opportunity to visit the museum. There is no denying the fact that the museum, though a tiny one, is systematically arranged and neatly maintained.

But to my utter dismay, I noticed that a brass made meditating Buddha statue is displayed there. The statue was captured from the smugglers. The beautiful piece is kept on the floor without the slightest regard shown for it. The Buddhists pay their homage to the statue of Buddha. The sacredness of the statue is sullied at the museum, hurting the sentiments and feelings of the Buddhists.

May I please draw the kind attention of the Director General of Bangladesh Rifles to look into the matter and decide to present it to any of the Buddhist monasteries located in Dhaka, and thereby oblige the Buddhist community of the country.