ABOUT HERITAGE

Heritage is an independent archive preserving documents, photographs, journals, magazines, local history books, and digital materials. Focused on the post-colonial period (1947 onward), it highlights the voices of civil society while also including important records from state institutions. Heritage is committed to creating an open, user-friendly, and service-oriented archival space in Bangladesh.
30,000

Journals & Periodicals

10,000

Books on
Local History

10,000

Posters & leaflets

5,000

Biography & Historical Profiles

The Founder

DR. MD. MAHBUBAR RAHMAN

Dr. Md. Mahbubar Rahman, a retired professor from the Department of History at Rajshahi University, envisioned the need for a dedicated archive to support researchers and scholars. During his PhD journey, he recognized the absence of accessible resources for historical research in Bangladesh. Driven by this vision, he began collecting valuable materials in 2002 and officially established Heritage Archives on March 23, 2002.

Image of DR. MD. MAHBUBAR RAHMAN

Collections

Heritage Archives holds a vast and diverse collection of rare materials that capture the rich cultural, political, and social history of Bangladesh. The archive houses over 30,000 periodicals, little magazines, and research journals across 3,095 titles, along with approximately 5,200 posters and 5,000 leaflets. It includes around 10,000 books covering all 64 districts of Bangladesh, along with memoirs, commemorative publications, and works on tribal communities and the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The collection features 471 MPhil and PhD theses, and over 3,200 biographies. Additionally, more than 1,200 books on Bangladesh’s history and heritage, and over 500 works of political literature, are preserved within the archive.

Catalogue List of Heritage

IDCatalogue Name
1Catalogue 00 (Main List)
2Catalogue 001 to 35
3Catalogue 36 All Biography
4Catalogue 36.1 (Bangabandhu)
5Catalogue 36.2 (Sheikh Hasina)
6Catalogue 36RAB (Rabindranath Tagor)
7Catalogue 36NAZ (Kazi Nazrul Islam)
8Catalogue 36NC_36PC
9Catalogue 037 to 129
10Catalogue 130 (District Gazetteer)
11Catalogue 131 to 188
12Catalogue 180 (Leaflets)
13https://heritage-archives.org/catalogues/catalogue-189-district-book-1-32/
14Catalogue 189 (District Book 33-69)
15Catalogue 190 to 242
16Catalogue 243 (Periodical)
17Catalogue 244-249 (Political)
18Catalogue 249 (Political Parties in Bangladesh)
19Catalogue 250 to 399
20Catalogue 256 (Posters)
21Catalogue 400

Key Information

research

Research Opportunity

At present, the Heritage Archives is open from 9:00 AM to 05:00 PM. Up to three researchers can work simultaneously in the facility.

Due to financial limitations, the Archives offer only basic amenities for researchers. However, there are two guest rooms available exclusively for researchers, where they may stay overnight strictly for research purposes.

visitors

Visiting Opportunity

Anyone is welcome to visit the Heritage Archives, whether for research or general interest. The Archives are typically open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and remain closed on Fridays. However, visits can be arranged outside regular hours for special reasons.

Please note: To ensure availability, kindly make an appointment by phone before your visit.

Visitor's Thoughts