Wari Cemetery, Saturday 20 September 2025, at 3:30pm
The inauguration of the conserved Narinda tomb (the monument formerly known as ‘Colombo Sahib’s tomb’ – per ‘A Dacca Mystery Solved’, Rosie Llewellyn Jones’ post on 4 Jun 2025), and the nearby Moorish Gateway (‘a Mughal type gateway from the late 17th century’), was celebrated on 20 September.
The inauguration ceremony was led by The Most Rev Archbishop Bejoy N D’Cruze, Archbishop of Dhaka (and Chairman of Wari Christian Cemetery Board), with Rev Fr Albert Rozario, Parish Priest, St Mary’s Cathedral, Ramna (and Vice Chairman, Wari Christian Cemetery Board). Mr Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Advisor, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of Bangladesh, was the Chief Guest. Ms Sarah Cooke, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, also attended.
Described by art historian Charles Greig as ‘one of the finest funerary monuments in South Asia’ the Narinda tomb had, prior to the recent conservation work, been seriously neglected, its decorative stonework hidden from sight and held in ‘a vice-like grip’ by invasive vegetation.
Echoing the excited comments from Waqar Khan (Founder of Bangladesh Forum for Heritage Studies, and former BACSA Area Representative) ‘Just look at this! What is emerging looks simply spectacular! Eight years of relentless effort have finally paid off’ (BACSA Project post on 28 Dec 2024), Ms Cooke expressed delight at the incredible transformation in the appearance of the monument since her April 2023 visit.
Thanking both BACSA and the Commonwealth Heritage Forum for jointly funding the conservation work, Ms Cooke paid tribute to Mr Waqar Khan for initiating and supporting the project proposal for several years, before passing on his responsibilities to Professor Dr Abu Syeed Ahmed of Asia-Pacific University (Conservation architect and current BACSA Area Representative), who had brought the very impressive conservation work to completion.
Photo: Mark O’Donnell
Congratulating Archbishop D’Cruze, Rev Fr Albert Rozario, and the other members of the Wari Christian Cemetery Board for their commitment to the project, Ms Cooke expressed her hope that the Board would build on this success by engaging the wider community in safeguarding the future of both the monuments and the nearby grave of Flight Lieutenant Edward Owens, of the Royal Air Force, that had been recently conserved with support from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Flight Lieutenant Owens died in 1961, after ejecting from a Javelin aircraft which had suffered a catastrophic failure on a ferry flight to (then) Malaya.
Ms Cooke closed with the observation that ‘the partnership between the UK and Bangladesh to restore and preserve these monuments is a great example of our shared heritage and our very deep friendship’.
BACSA message
Click here to see, and hear, the 3-minute video message which BACSA’s Chairman, Mr Paul Dean, sent to the event organisers. Due to power outages in Dhaka, it was not possible to show it at the Ceremony itself.
After mentioning that ‘We at BACSA have been hugely impressed by the skills and dedication of the team which has brought this restoration of ‘Colombo Sahib’s tomb’ to a successful conclusion’, Paul welcomed the prospect of future collaborative projects in Bangladesh: ‘We know, from Professor Ahmed… that there are other potential projects in Bangladesh, in which we, and we anticipate the Commonwealth Heritage Forum, may wish to collaborate. BACSA very much hopes to continue our partnership with all involved, both in Wari Cemetery and further afield in Dhaka and in Bangladesh’.
Rachel Magowan
We are grateful to Ms Nur Jahan Hera of the British High Commission for providing the photos of the inauguration ceremony.
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