According to the Archaeology Department of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, 16 projects have been submitted to the ministry but no money was allocated for those in the fiscal 2002-2003.

"Every year more archaeological sites are being marked as protected monuments but the funds are getting smaller," said Delwar Dewan Hossain, Director of the Department of Archaeology.

There are 355 archeological monuments across the country and 25 of them are in Dhaka city. Among these, the Lalbagh Fort, Boro Katra, Choto Katra, Dhanmondi Eidgah, Rose Garden, Ruplal House, Nimtoli Deuri, Musa Khan Mosque, Sat Gombuj Mosque, Haji Khaja Shahbaj Mosque etc. are some of the most well known sites.

The Ruplal House, Musa Khan Mosque, Sat Gombuj Mosque and Haji Khaja Shahbaj Mosque have been categorised as protected monuments but the archaeology department has failed to acquire the land due to lack of funds.

"The owner of a protected monument can not renovate the site without the consent of the archaeology department. But we can't do any work on it either until the monument has been acquired," said Habibur Rahman, an official of the archaeology department.

Encroachment and illegal occupation of historical sites is also a common problem in Dhaka. The sites that are a source of income are therefore very tough to acquire.

"We can't even enter Baro Katra and Choto Katra (the two Mughal caravansarais) because of the local residents, while Ahsan Monjil has been encroached by market owners," said an engineer of the department.

The yearly operational cost of the department is about Tk. 4 crore. Currently 317 personnel are working for the conservation of 355 monuments all over the country and only 26 site attendants are responsible for the protection of these archaeological sites.

"We need at least 800 personnel to protect the monuments and the ever diminishing funds could prove fatal for our rich archaeological heritage," said Dewan Hossain.

This year, the government has provided funds for partial renovation of the Lalbagh Fort as it would be a popular site for tourists and visiting dignitaries and the delegates of commonwealth countries who are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka for the commonwealth parliamentary conference scheduled from October 4-12.