Korean assistance for Panam city restoration

Korean business organisation, The Youngone corporation, as a rare gesture has expressed its willingness to provide financial assistance for restoration of over 200 year old Panam city of Sonargaon in Narayanganj.

The company is already providing assistance to renovate, restoration and protection of Baro Sardabari, an archeological establishment which was built inside the Bangladesh Folk Art and Crafts Foundation at Sonargaon in Narayanganj in 1901 of Panam city.

Kihak Sung Chiarman of Youngone said, ‘Not only the Baro Sardarbari, but also the renovation, restoration and protection of the old Panam city are essential.’

He suggested that the documentation of the more than two centuries old city is necessary while construction of boundary wall of the city needed to be done on the first phase of renovating, restoring and protecting the historical city. The Korean company is ready to provide assistance in this work.

Kihak Sung also the chairman of Korean Export Processing Zone, came up with the assurance while he made a courtesy call on cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor at latter’s office on Monday.

During the meeting, they discussed the progress of the renovation work of the Baro Sarder Bari.

Discussing on Korean contribution for restoration, renovation and preservation of the archeological site of Bangladesh, Asaduzzaman Noor said ‘it is really wonderful to see that the restoration works of the Baro Sarder Bari is going on with the financial assistance from a company like the Youngone corporation.’

Additional secretaries of the cultural affairs ministry M Mashiur Rahman, Mahbuba Maskur and Director-General of the department of archeology M Altaf Hossain were also present during this time.

Terming Korea as a very close friendly state of Bangladesh, the cultural affairs minister said after the independence the two countries working together sincerely with one another on issues of mutual interest.

The Youngone corporation had declared to pay Taka 10 crore for restoration, renovation, documentation and conservation of the Baro Sarder Bari in 2013. Te work will be completed by the year 2016. (Source: New Age, August 4, 2015)