By Iftekhar Ahmed, Narinjara News, June 7, 2006

Dhaka, Bangladesh -- During the Bangladesh-France joint excavation recently, the Archaeology Department of Bangladesh has discovered a Buddhist temple and a brick-soled road of possibly between the seventh and eighth centuries at the historic Mahasthangarh site in Bogra district of Bangladesh.

According to the Regional Director of Archaeology Department, this newly discovered structure of the brick-built Buddhist temple is at least 1,200 years old.

The Archaeology Department also confirmed that this newly founded temple has similar features to the Godaibari Dhap temple found earlier at Mahasthangarh and the Itakhola Mura temple found at Mainamati in Comilla.

A good number of antiques including ornamental and polished bricks, clay ornaments and toys, terracotta pieces and cast coins of the Gupta and Paul periods were also found at the site.

A monument was also detected in the area with signs of ancient houses. The wide brick road was found under the structure of a house. Two pieces of stone older than the temple were also found more excavation is needed to know more about the temple and its structure.