France to return relics as Dhaka scraps expo deed (Roundup)

Dec 27, 2007, 15:33 GMT

Dhaka - The Ministry of Culture in Bangladesh said France had agreed to send back all the ancient relics which were shipped to Paris from Dhaka nearly a month ago, officials said Thursday.

The Dhaka government also said it would scrap a bilateral accord under which centuries-old Bangladeshi relics were to be displayed during an exhibition sponsored by the Paris Guimet museum.

The sudden cancellation of the accord followed the suspected theft in Dhaka of two priceless relics of the Hindu God Vishnu when these were to be put on an Air France cargo plane last week.

The unilateral step by the cultural authorities visibly upset the French museum officials who were counting on Bangladesh's participation in the exhibition.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekharuddin Ahmed Chowdhury however said the ties between Bangladesh and France would not be affected.

Dhaka intelligence sources said police and elite Rapid Action Battalion commandos had traced the 7th Century Vishnu statues. But the claim could not be confirmed by independent sources.

Private TV channels said eight more suspects believed to be directly involved were arrested overnight, raising to 24 the number of people detained since the two antique treasures went missing.

A senior cabinet minister in Bangladesh has resigned over the missing relics, which were reportedly stolen while in transshipment to France.

Ayub Quadri resigned from his office as Cultural Affairs Adviser to the caretaker government, a position which made him head of the Ministry of Culture.

Quadri accepted moral responsibility for the alleged theft of the two rare relics scheduled to be flown to paris on 22 December along with over 143 other specimens as the second consignment of artifacts.