News

The Narinda Cemetery of Old Dacca

The Narinda Cemetery of Old Dacca – Lecture and Dinner at the East India Club
Thursday 31st July 2025, from 6.00pm

Narinda Monument – conservation completed!
March 2025:
(1) Mr Waqar A Khan (Founder of Bangladesh Forum for Heritage Studies; BACSA’s (former) AR)
(2) Father Albert Thomas Rozario (Bishop’s representative)
(3) Mr Charles Greig (Art Historian; Âé¶¹´«Ã½ExCo Member)
(4) Professor Dr Abu Sayeed Ahmed, Asia-Pacific University (Conservation architect; BACSA’s AR)
(Photo courtesy of Mr Charles Greig)

Paul Dean, the Acting Âé¶¹´«Ã½Events Officer, has supplied the following details of a Âé¶¹´«Ã½celebratory evening, with Lectures and Dinner at the East India Club, in London:

‘Âé¶¹´«Ã½has recently concluded a project for the conservation of what used to be known as Colombo Sahib’s Tomb in Dhaka, Bangladesh, but ought, more appropriately, to be called the Narinda Tomb, since it is to be found in the cemetery in Narinda.

This has been a much anticipated project for a number of years which was initially slow to get off the ground but, thanks to the energy and expertise of BACSA’s Area Representative (AR), Professor Dr Abu Syeed Ahmed of Asia-Pacific University, a noted conservation architect, and his team, the work is now almost complete.

The project has been undertaken by Âé¶¹´«Ã½in collaboration with the Christian Burials Board of Dhaka and the Commonwealth Heritage Forum.

We are holding a celebratory dinner at the East India Club, 16 St James’ Square, London SW1Y 4LH on Thursday 31 July, which will be preceded by lectures about the tomb and the project by Âé¶¹´«Ã½members Dr Rosie Llewellyn-Jones MBE and Mr Charles Greig. For more information about the project, please see the Âé¶¹´«Ã½website news items posted on 28 December 2024 and 25 March 2025‘.

Booking and payment details
The lecture is open to Âé¶¹´«Ã½members only. The cost of the lecture is £20.00; the Indian-themed two-course dinner, preceded by a selection of Indian Street food with chutneys, is £45.00. Drinks are extra and payable at the bar. Bookings and payment for either the lecture alone, or lecture and dinner, can be made online under the Events tab on the Âé¶¹´«Ã½website. (If you wish to pay by cheque, please contact Paul Dean, Acting Events Officer, at www.chairman@bacsa.org.uk for instructions). The booking deadline is 24 July 2025.

To join Âé¶¹´«Ã½please visit the Join page on the website.

Narinda Tomb – before, during and after conservation
(1) October 2020: Mr Robin Chatterton Dixon, the then British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, visiting the Narinda tomb
(2) October 2024: Members of Prof Ahmed’s team cleaning the stonework
(3) March 2025: The Narinda tomb revealed!

Paul Dean
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Diary Dates

Âé¶¹´«Ã½Newsletter readers, family and friends may be interested in the following events:

Date / TimeEventPlace
Sunday 8 Jun 2025, 2:30pmThe Chattri Memorial Service
‘Dedicated to the Indian soldiers who fought on the Western Front during the First World War’
The Chattri Memorial, Standean Lane, Patcham, Brighton BN1 8ZB.
Click for further details.
Wednesday 18 Jun 2025, 10:30amÂé¶¹´«Ã½Visit to Belmont HouseBelmont House, Throwley, Faversham, Kent ME13 0HH.
Click here for further details, and to make a booking.
Saturday 28 Jun 2025, 10:00-16:30FIBIS (Families in British India Society) Open Meeting and Annual General MeetingUnion Jack Club, Sandell Street, London SE1 8UJ.
Click to register for this free event.
Monday 7 Jul 2025, 5:00pm for 6:00pm‘A Slashing Onslaught – Sir Charles Napier in India’
BIHT (The British in India Historical Trust) Lecture by Prof Peter Stanley
The East India Club, 16 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LH.
Click for further details, and to make a booking.
Thursday 31 Jul 2025, 6:00pm for 6:30pm‘The Narinda Cemetery of Old Dacca’
Lecture by Âé¶¹´«Ã½Executive Committee Members Charles Greig and Rosie Llewellyn-Jones
The East India Club, 16 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LH.
Click Events to register and book tickets.
Sunday 5 Oct 2025 – Friday 17 Oct 2025British India: The East India Company & Mutiny Tour
A 13-day tour in India led by Dr Rosie Llewellyn-Jones
Delhi, Meerut, Lucknow, Cawnpore, Serampore, Calcutta.
Click (or ring 020-8901-7320) for further details.
Thursday 16 Oct 2025, 11:30amÂé¶¹´«Ã½General Meeting
(Members only)
Union Jack Club, Sandell Street, London SE1 8UJ.
Further details (including registration instructions) will be published nearer the date.
Sunday 26 Oct 2025150th anniversary of CSI Christ Church, Salem
to include ‘Holy Communion Service, a Congregation feast and a concluding ceremony’.
All are welcome to attend the church’s sesquicentennial celebrations – including descendants of former congregation members.
CSI Christ Church, Fort Road, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India.
For further details, please contact: ‘csichurchsalem@gmail.com‘.

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(Suggestions for Âé¶¹´«Ã½website news items, volunteering opportunities and diary entries, are always welcome – please send them to ‘comms@bacsa.org.uk’.)