Shahriar Kabir, Paikgachha
The birthplace of world-renowned scientist Sir Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy is lying in a state of neglect and neglect. The building has become a ruin. As soon as you enter the building, your hair stands on end, as if his silent cries are wafting through the air. Everything around this brick and stone building is crumbling, bricks and sand.
Sir Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, a world-renowned scientist and chemist, was born on August 2, 1861, in the village of Raruli on the banks of the Kapotaksha River in Paikgachha Upazila of Khulna, to father Harishchandra Roy and mother Bhuvan Mohini. Father Harishchandra Roy was a linguist, scholar, and educationist.
Locals say that PC Roy's house has now become a haunted house. After evening, there are a lot of mischievous boys who come to the inner courtyard. Although there is security here, they still enter unnoticed.
Prafulla Chandra Roy was the first Bengali to study at the University of Edinburgh in England on a Gilchrist Scholarship. In 1812, he founded the 'Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works' with his own funds. In 1896, he discovered mercury (O) nitrate (mercurous nitrite). Which created a stir worldwide. This was one of his major discoveries. He discovered a total of 12 compound salts and 5 thioesters in his entire life. In recognition of his contribution to scientific research, Durham University awarded him an honorary D.Sc. degree in 1912. The British government first honored him with the royal title C.I.E. and in 1919 with the title of 'Knight'. He established the first Chemical Factory in India.
His famous book History of Hindu Chemistry was published in 1902. Many educational institutions, scholarships, chemistry labs and research awards were established and prospered under his financial support. He spent 47 long years in the teaching profession from 1889 to 1936. This scientist, educationist, industrial entrepreneur and non-communal patriot Mahamanishi breathed his last on June 16, 1944. Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy established a college in Bagerhat in 1918 called PC College. Which is playing a huge role in the expansion of education in Bangladesh today. At the same time, he built a college in the name of his father Harishchandra Roy in this Raruli village, which was named R,K,B,K Harishchandra Collegiate Institution. Father Harishchandra Roy established Bhuban Mohini Girls Secondary School in the name of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy's mother on 3 March 1850 in Raruli village of the upazila. The first student of which was mother Bhuban Mohini herself.
According to legend, in 1850, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy's father Harishchandra Roy built a house for permanent residence in the village of Raruli. The house was divided into two parts, the Sadar Mahal and the Andar Mahal. The Sadar Mahal was built for the residence of men. The Sadar Mahal is divided into four parts. Its northern part was used as a temple (Puja Mandap). The temple has a total of eight multi-foil arches. The building is basically built in a combination of Muslim and British architectural styles. There is an ancient pond to its east. According to legend, the pond was dug during the construction of the house. The Sadar Mahal is currently preserved by the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
Although the main hall has been renovated to some extent, the inner hall is in a state of neglect. The inner hall, including the roof, pillars, doors and windows, is slowly collapsing due to lack of renovation. And whatever remains, if not renovated, will be destroyed and mixed with the earth. If the traditions and identities are lost in this way, what will be left for the new generation?
Md. Momin Uddin, Lecturer, Geography Department, Paikgachha Government College Khulna, said, "If the people of the country are not appreciated, the people of the country will not be born there. Sir Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy is the pride of our country and we have become known to the world because of him. But we should renovate and preserve his birthplace and present it to the whole world. We should try our best. Hopefully, the local administration and the District Administrator, along with the Department of Archaeology and the Ministry of Culture, will spread his fame all over the world through this initiative. A museum and a tourist center should be made in his birthplace and made accessible to the people. Then the next generation will be able to know more about Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy."
Local, Amit Debnath said, if something is done in memory of PC Roy, it is the pride of Paikgachha. There are schools and colleges on both sides of his house. There is a college in the name of Prafulla Chandra Roy's father and a girls' school in the name of his mother. His name is spread in the country and abroad. I hope that if this ancient monument and the demand of this locality becomes a tourist center, the economic condition of our area will improve in all aspects.
The visitors said that if the birthplace of Sir Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy can be made a philosophical place and a beautiful environment, the people of Paikgachha Upazila will go a long way in terms of economy. If the home of such a great scientist in the world is renovated, it will be a matter of pride for our people of Bangladesh. We are calling for the immediate renovation of this house of his. Another visitor said, "He is a world-famous scientist, so we are coming to visit his house. It was nice, but the house is in a dilapidated condition and needs renovation. If renovated, it will become a tourist attraction and people will be interested in the hope, so we are calling for renovation."
F.M. Aziyar Rahman, freedom fighter Sector No. 9, Khulna. He said, he tried to do good to every person. Once, four or five foreigners came to his house, but who would take their luggage, so he took it to his house. Later, the foreigners said that they would meet PC Roy. When he came in front of them, they became a teacher. His character was such that he became a teacher. He was a good person. He is the pride of our Paikgachha, that is, the pride of Bangladesh.
Tapan Kumar Dutta, caretaker of PC Roy's house, said, "People come from different countries, last year people were coming from Germany. They also took pictures and videos and said, 'Why should a great scholar's house be like this? His name is spread all over the country and abroad. Even after making videos, they sent them to the ministry, but nothing is done. But in our department, it seems that if we have a budget of one crore taka, we divide it into 50 branches. So, if there is no big budget, nothing will happen to this house. Nothing will happen with such two to five lakh taka."
Upazila Executive Officer Mahera Nazneen said that the birthplace of Sir Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy is currently under the care of the Department of Archaeology. She also said that appropriate measures will be taken, including making the birthplace of Sir Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy a tourist center and renovating it.
Local conscious circles believe that if the scientist's residence is renovated and a boundary wall is built to turn it into a museum, research laboratory, and scenic tourist center, the number of tourists will increase and the government will be able to earn a large amount of revenue from this. Therefore, the locals demand that it be renovated and preserved as soon as possible and turned into a museum, research laboratory, and scenic tourist center.
Shahriar Kabir
