PHOTO: COURTESY

JAWWAD SAMI NEOGI

There’s something magical about old buildings. You walk through the halls, and it feels like the walls are trying to tell you something. I have heard somewhere that every old brick holds a story. The tours of “Save the Heritages of Bangladesh” can take you close to those historic architecture, where you can experience the stories these old structures have to tell.

On April 5, the Facebook-based group dedicated to raising awareness about the rich heritages of Bangladesh reached a beautiful milestone: their 100th heritage tour, which took place at Puran Dhaka.

From morning till evening, members explored a line-up of historic gems: Lalkuthi, Ruplal House, Mongalalaya, Basanta Babur Bari, Boro Bari, Bibi Ka Rauza, Sri Sri Bihari Lal Jiu Mondir, Sutrapur Zamindar Palace, Jalsa Ghar, the Dhaka residence of Murapara Zamindar, Rishikesh Babur Bari, and lastly, Qazi Bari Heritage Estate, where they had their lunch. The walk started around 8:30am from Lalkuthi and wrapped up at Qazi Bari.

The Facebook group was created by Tony Angel back in 2008. While he’s no longer active, the group officially started its journey in 2011 with a renewed version of the group led by Sazzadur Rasheed, a passionate heritage explorer and an architect by profession. Rasheed shared photos and stories from his solo trips until group members and his close ones began requesting to join.

“They said, ‘You’re roaming solo -- take us too!’ That’s when I thought, why not?” he recalls. The group had between 10,000 and 12,000 members back then, now it has grown to nearly 134,000!

The first official tour took place on 1 May, 2014, at Savar and Kaliakair. Since then, they have conducted tours almost every month, with only a few unfortunate gaps. Now, more than ten years later, they’ve reached 100 tours, and still counting.

Along with general visitors, the event also saw participation from some prominent names, including Professor Abu Sayeed M Ahmed, former president of the Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB); Hashem Sufi, a historian, researcher, and writer; Shakoor Majid, an architect, writer, filmmaker, and photographer; and Bayejid Mahbub Khondker, a recipient of two gold medals at the ARCASIA Awards for Architecture.

The history of our heritage must be preserved across generations. So, when asked whether the younger generation is passionate about it, Rasheed shares, “Honestly, not many youngsters show up. As a teacher, many of my students have participated in several tours. In the recent 100th event, we saw a few young participants alongside people from various disciplines, ages, and professions. I hope to see more young people joining in the future.”

With their first-ever tour held on May 1, the group plans to mark that day every year. This year’s tour on May 1, the 101st one, is expected to take place in Pirojpur and Jhalakathi.

Is the group and the tours really serving their purpose? “Definitely. When people visit a heritage site, they don’t just look at it -- they take the time to learn about the history, interact with locals, and maybe even buy some souvenirs from the local shops. With cameras so accessible, they often share their experiences or photos in the group, which sparks interest and encourages others to visit. That’s how the stories stay alive, and so do the places,” Rasheed explains.

“Recently, someone shared a post about a theft at a heritage house. The response was intense, and that post alone raised awareness. That’s exactly what we aim to do, creating awareness,” Rasheed adds.

Above all, things that are our responsibility -- our history, our architecture -- should never fade away. The group has come a long way, and after 100 successful tours, it is safe to say ‘The tours must go on!’