Bangla & its parts were familiar to all over the world by the name of Pundravardhwan, varendra, lucknowti, samatat, horikel, barakamanal etc. from the very ancient time Bangla was politically and socio-economically played a vital role in the history of Indian subcontinent. So, this is not impossible that Bangla has many artifacts & archaeological sites.

Before 19^th century, the archaeological sites of bangla were totally unknown to the world.  But some geological surveys took place in the land of Bangla after the year of 1770 by the Englishmen to establish ‘Nil Kuthi’. Through the information of those survey works, Buckanol Hamilton, S. Martin were the first men, who worked with artifacts & archaeological sites of Bangla. Hamilton was the first scholar who wrote about Mahasthangarh & Paharpur. After that in the year of 1838, S. Martin published his ‘the history, antiquities, topography & statistics of eastern Bengal’. In this book almost all the archaeological sites, and related history & epics took place shortly. In the year of 1867 Gaura Das Basak wrote a feature in the magazine of Asiatic Society of London about  

the archaeological places of Bagerhat. Three years later ‘A Report on District Jessore’ published in the same magazine. In this feature he tried to have public’s attention to the historical architectures of Jessore.

In the year of 1861, Indian Archaeological Survey established in India & fortunately ancient Chinese traveler hyuen sung’s (who came this area near about 7^th century) travel book published in England. In this book Mahasthan & myanamoti took place. Indian Archaeological Survey started their works led by Alexander Cunningham in the year of 1871-72. after that H. beverage (1874), E. vassey westmakt (1875) and C.G. O’donnel (1876-78) traveled the whole Bangla area and collected more informations. In 1979 Alexander Cunningham again traveled the Bangla  area. In this time he went to Gaura of Chapainawabganj, Khetlal of Jaypurhat, Vasu Vihara & Mahasthan of Bogra, paharpur of Naoga, Vikrampur of Munshiganj & Sonargaon of Narayanganj district. in this time he said that Vasu Vihara (another name Noropoti’r Dhap) mound has the ruin of Hyuen Sung’s ‘Po-Si-Po’. Not only that, he tried to start excavation at the Gopal Chita’r Pahar (now Paharpur Vihara) at Paharpur. But at last jamindar Vidhan Chndra Roy of the Balihar estate opposed his works and excavation stopped. Alexander Cunningham marked Mahasthan as pre historic pundra nagar.

In the year of 1905 they established a forum names “Bongio Shahittya parishad” by some prominent bangali scholers to strat a meuseum of Bangla. In the Rajshahi conference of this forum at 1909, Ramaprasad Chandra presented a feature about the historical heritage of the area of Bangla. In the year of 1910, Vagalpur conference took place & the members of this forum started limited type of excavation at Godagari of Rajshahi & Kanchanpur of Jaypurhat. From this excavation 32 valuable statue has founded only from Godagari. As a result, the same year Varendra Research Forum & its sister concern Varendra Museum has established. The next nine years this forum excavated at Gachhipur, devpara of Godagari thana & Mahishantosh of Dhamurhat thana, naogaon. In the year of 1918, the forum found the structure of a mosque (which was established in 1507 AD) from Rajbari mound of Mahishantosh.

In the year of 1913, The Dacca Museum has established at Dhaka. The chief of the Dacca Museum was famous ‘Pandit’ Nalonikant Vattshali. He started the excavations at Chandrabarmancoat (now Kotalipara) of Faridpur, Samvar (now Savar) of Dhaka & mynamoti of Comilla. In 1923 few interested local people has excavated at Savar and they uncovered a workplace. At the same time Indian Archaeological Survey start their work at Rajbari mound of  the village Bihrail of Rajshahi. In 1921 Pandit Nalinikant Vattshali published his famous work ‘ICONOGRAPHY OF BUDDHIST AND BRAHMANICAL SCULPTURES IN THE DACCA MUSEUM’. In the year of 1923, Indian Archaeological Survey, Calcutta University, Varendra Research Centre Museum & Sharat Kumar Roy of Dighapatia jointly worked on Paharpur. in 1924, Kumar Sailesh Roy of Bardhwancoat excavated on Virat mound of Rangpur & uncovered a structure of a temple. At the same time many surveys took place under the Indian Archaeological Survey Department in Bangla. But most important & successful output they got from Varat Bhoyna of Jessore & Savar.

Indian Archaeological Survey Department started excavation at 1928 and it carried on till 1934.  in 1934 the excavation started at Lokhindorer Medh, Skondher Dhap (near at Mahasthan), Boitan mound of Dinajpur. In 1942, Indian Archaeological Survey Department surveyed at Lalmai-Mynamoti.

After the independence of Indian subcontinent, for the archaeological practice government of Pakistan established department of Archaeology & Museum at Karachi. And its East Pakistan office firstly established at Rajshahi & in the year of 1952 it moved towards Dhaka. It was the first government office for archaeological practice in Bangladesh. In the year of 1955-57, this department worked on Lalmai-Mynamoti, and found more than 50 sites. Before the independence of Bangladesh in 1971,four archaeological museum were under this department. This department worked on Mahasthan, Shitacoat (Dinajpur), Lalmai-Mynamoti, Cotilamura, Charpatra Mura (Comilla), Darshbari Madrasa (Chapainawabganj), Sahebganj mound (Govindganj) & Lalbagh fort. The most important thing was the establishment of archeological chemical laboratory.  And another important thing was A.H. Dani’s writings. He wrote about the artifacts which were found from Chittagong.

After the birth of a new country Bangladesh, the archaeology department moved Mohammedpur from old town. Paharpur Vihara of Naogaon, Mangalcoat Vihara, Vasu Vihara of Bogra, Rupvan Mura, Ranir Banglow, Anand Raja’r Bari of Comilla & Darashbari of Chapainawabganj were excavated from 1972 to 1984.

After 1984, the archaeology department re-constructed and it went under the cultural ministry of Government of Bangladesh. Till then the archaeology department is working all over the Bangladesh with its four branch office.

In the year of 1994, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka has started Archaeology department. Till then this department working on archaeological sites. Jahangirnagar University is the only institute in Bangladesh, where you can find Archaeology discipline.