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Nahid Sultana, member of the excavation team, said the 2.1-metre width
brick-built structure crossed the basement of the main temple built by King
Dharmapala in the eighth century. The structure was found in the northeast corner of more than 1,200 years old
main temple "Somapura Maha Vihara", which is locally known as Paharpur
monastery.
Mohammed Mahabub-ul-Alam, assistant custodian, Paharpur museum and excavation
team member, said a huge number of potsherds have been found under the monastic
cell number 21 of the Vihara. Probably, these were used over 1,500 years ago, said Mahabub, adding that it is
likely to be the first habitation in this area.
World famous archaeologist K.N. Dikshit believes there was a Jain monastery at
Paharpur but no traces has survived.
There has so far been no structural evidence of existence of Jain temples in
Bangladesh. But Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang saw several Jain structures during
his visit to Pundranagar in Bogra and adjacent areas in 639-645 AD, said
Mahabub.
Source: Indo-Asian News Service
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