A Mughal era fort on the banks of the river Barak in Assam’s Karimganj district would soon be restored.

The fort in Badarpur, which before independence was a part of present day Sylhet district in Bangladesh, was a major railway and commercial hub during British rule.

The fort’s fundamental structure revealed a Mughal provincial style, Karimganj Deputy Commissioner Sanjiv Gohain Boruah told PTI here.

The Karimganj district administration recently approached the state Directorate of Archaeology and the Archaeological Survey of India for restoration of the fort, which dates back to the 18th century.

“We have talked to ASI officials and a team of experts is to visit it soon to carry out a survey and chalk out plans to preserve the fort,” Boruah said.

The fort located at the crossroads of the National Highway 44 and 53 and Badarpur railway junction would be of special interest to tourists from Bangladesh as they had a shared history with the area, he said.

There was also a proposal to set up a museum at the adjacent heritage ‘dak bungalow’, which was currently serving as the circle office of the area.

Prominent citizens of the district stressed the need for a museum in the dak bungalow as it could be used for educational programmes, lectures and functions and also had enough space for parking.

“Museums must develop their own distinct character to attract a specific section of public and the uniqueness of a possible museum site at Badarpur is that the fort will add to the museum’s attraction and serve as a complement to it and vice-versa,” eminent historian Kamaluddin Ahmed said.

The dak bungalow representing colonial architecture was constructed during World War I and housing a museum would help in preserving it as a heritage building, Ahmed said.

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