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Conservation of heritage sites is an integral part of history and culture through which new generations can learn about their forefathers education, professionalism, cultural characteristics as well as their civilization. Almost all countries of the world tend to conserve their historical sites for their own generations and travellers from abroad. Despite Bangladeshs economy is becoming stronger, it is not paying enough attention to the development of archaeology to conserve its heritage sites. Unlike many other developing countries, Bangladesh tends to considers it a luxury to preserve it’s heritage sites. It is mainly because of the scarcity of land. The tiny country has a huge population (about 180 million), the density of which is perhaps the highest in the world.
Apart from some very significant heritage sites, most others are awfully neglected. Lack of education and awareness among the respective local people and other stakeholders are also responsible for most of the heritage sites facing threats of demolition, vandalism, losing authenticity and integrity.
Panamnagar, the case study for this thesis paper, is not apart from the above scenario. It is the last surviving intake city of lost Bengal. The place witnessed Mughal emperor, British rule, the partition of Bengal, Liberation war of Bangladesh, Hindu-Muslim riot, illegal habitation of people, forced eviction and abundance. The historic city went through lots of historical events and is still standing as a testimony to the golden era of Bengal. Currently, this heritage site is facing multiple threats to its existence and authenticity. The city is vacated by the authority - the Department of Archaeology. But as the local people are not aware of the historic value of the site, they are not at all cooperating with the authority. Meanwhile, the authority is trying to incorporate adaptive reuse of the site to give life to it again and collect revenue for the maintenance. But they are doing it without assessing the cultural significance of the site properly, which could be a potential threat for the authenticity of the heritage site. Thus, this paper has focused on assessing the cultural significance of the heritage site, with a hope that it will help the authority to make policy decisions for the conservation of the site more cautiously. To assess the cultural significance properly, history and architectural significance are described briefly. A site analysis has been conducted to understand the current site condition properly. The paper concludes with statements in support of the cultural significance of Panamnagar site and recommends appropriate conservation tools to sustain its significance.
The World Heritage List, created in 1972 by the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage, exhibits few cultural sites younger than
the signing of the convention, as well as everyday structures which comprise the contemporary urban life.
This idea of heritage as something related to the ancient not only is manifested in the international sphere but has also permeated national views, weakening awareness for discreet heritage, which compete with designs from famous architects or monumental structures, giving the impression that grandeur and looks are highly coveted. This does not only discard relevant events of the mid-late 20th century attached to smaller constructions that had impacts on different cultures, but also integral components of urban fabric. Furthermore, these approaches towards heritage relevance resonate within the local populations, who, taking as examples how heritage is treated and approached in an international context, tend to overlook structures that are considered aesthetically displeasing because they do not adhere to this traditional scheme seen in the heritage field.
From here extends the idea of analyzing case studies that fall within overlooked heritage from a new angle: one of valuating aesthetic displeasure. The thesis will focus
on individual and serial constructions of the 20th century commonly seen as displeasing due to their typologies and styles but also due to their formal characteristics,
redirecting the attention from those considered aesthetically pleasing and grandiose towards otherwise ignored built heritage. Additionally, it will address the perceptions of such structures in the context of the international heritage and conservation spheres, to present how these structures are currently not fully appreciated within the traditional idea of heritage due to their looks and commonality. This approach does in fact overlook, and even relegate, those buildings that do not fit into the preconceived idea of aesthetics, denying the opportunity to explore and find their potential for heritage value.