Exhibition cancelled after ‘conspiracy’

An exhibition in France has been cancelled following the theft of two ancient statues and a diplomatic row. Masterpieces from the Ganges Delta at the Guimet Museum was to be an exhibition of Hindu relics from the 3rd century BC to the 19th century. The recent theft at Dhaka airport of the 1,500-year-old terracotta statues depicting the deity Vishnu has prompted the Bangladeshi government to pull out of the agreement because of concerns over the security of its artefacts. A statement from the French Embassy in Dhaka spoke of a ‘conspiracy to embarrass France and Bangladesh.’