CJ residence to be declared protected antiquity

The Department of Archaeology has initiated a process to declare the chief justice's residence, located in the upscale Hare Road area of the capital, a protected antiquity.

The department on Wednesday (9 October) asked its regional director for the Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions to visit the residence and submit a report, according to a press release issued today (10 October) by the Supreme Court administration.

"Following the unexpected damage to the chief justice's residence during the July-August student-led uprising, Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed has taken an initiative to permanently preserve this historically significant structure," added the release. 

It said the chief justice also emphasised the importance of ensuring the protection of this site, particularly within the existing legal framework of Bangladesh.

In accordance with the provisions of the Archaeology Act of 1968, ownership of the chief justice's residence will remain with the Supreme Court. If preserved, the residence will be regarded as a national treasure, fostering public recognition of its historical significance. This initiative will help future generations know the rich history associated with this establishment.

To this end, a special meeting was held at the chief justice's residence on 25 September, chaired by the chief justice, and attended by the Supreme Court administration and officials from the Department of Archaeology.

Following the meeting's decision, Deputy Director (Archaeology) Md Amiruzzaman today sent a letter to the regional director of the Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions as part of the process of designating the chief justice's residence as a protected antiquity.

According to the press release, following the announcement of the partition of Bengal in 1905, when the capital of the newly formed province of East Bengal and Assam was moved to Dhaka, the chief justice's residence was one of the residential buildings constructed for high-ranking government officials.

Built in 1908, this unique structure features a blend of Mughal and European classical architecture. After the partition of Bengal was annulled in 1911, the building served various purposes over the years, but since the early 1950s, it has been used as the residence of the chief justice.

Once this century-old structure is declared a protected antiquity, it will play an important role in preserving its heritage, given the building's historical significance, and in passing on its legacy to future generations.