The New Nation - Internet Edition

Faruque Hasan

This year, 2008 A.D., is the 400th anniversary of Dhaka as a capital; though Dhaka as a town or an urban settlement is much older than it is as a capital. How old is Dhaka City is very difficult to say.

King Srigupta of north Bangladesh laid down the foundation of the illustrious Gupta Empire (320-450 A.D.) of the Indian history. Harisen, the poet-laureate of Emperor Shamudragupta, who was the grandson of Srigupta, mentioned of 'Dabaka' in his eulogy for the Emperor, 'Allahabad Prashasti' written in the 4th century A.D. Dabaka mentioned in that inscription is today's Dhaka.

King Ballal Sen, the second ruler of the Sena Dynasty (1195-1204 A.D.), built the Dhakeswari temple in Dhaka more than eight hundred years back from today. No trace of that temple can now be seen, but the four Siva temples erected by Raja Man Singh, the commander-in-chief of Emperor Akbar, at the site of that temple, in the wake of 17th century still stand there. Man Singh stayed in Dhaka during the years 1602-04 A.D. while he was fighting against Isa Khan, the leader of the Bara Bhuiyn - the independent petty kings of Bangladesh.

The oldest brick structure, which still exists in Dhaka City, is the one-dome Binot Bibi Mosque at Narinda, built in 1457 AD. Though the mosque could save itself for about five hundred and fifty years from the onslaught of time and humid climate, unfortunately, it is now being demolished by some people, ignorant of national history and heritage. They are destroying this oldest structure of the Dhaka City to build a bigger mosque and a madrasha on the site.

The second oldest brick structure of the Dhaka city is the Mirpur Majar mosque, also one domed, and built in 1480 AD.

There was a big fort in Dhaka before it became the capital of Sube Bangla-a province of Mughal Empire. Mirza Nathan wrote in his book, Baharistan Ghaibi, that Dhaka and Gaur were the biggest forts in pre-Mughal period. Mirza Nathan came to Bangladesh in 1608 A.D. as a commander of Islam Khan, who as the Subadar (governor) of Bengal appointed by Emperor Jahangir. In fact, the word 'Dhakka' means a 'watch station'. Dhaka may have derived its name from its being a place for a watch station. Some people say that this city has got its name from the tree, Dhak (Butea frondosa), which used to grow in plenty at this place.

Dhaka is located close to two ancient capitals of Bengal, Vikrampur and Sonargown. So, it was very natural that this place was pivotal to the defense of these two capitals; and as a result, grew up as a cantonment town as well as a business center.

Islam Khan became the Subadar of Suba-e-Bangla (the province of Bengal) in 1608 A.D. At that time the capital of the Suba was Rajmahal. On being appointed as the Subadar, Islam Khan decided to transfer the capital from Rajmahal to Dhaka. He renamed Dhaka as Jahangirnagar after the name of Emperor Jahangir, his mentor, and sent two of his officers along with their subordinates to Dhaka two weeks ahead of him "to put the old fort into a good state of repair, and make it fit to receive the Governor".

On his way to Dhaka, his new capital, with his army, Islam Khan got engaged in fighting against Musa Khan, the son of Isa Khan and the then leader of the Bara Bhuiyn, at Ghoragat. The fighting delayed his arrival to Dhaka till the year of 1610 A.D. Musa Khan's tomb and a mosque built by him now located on the courtyard of Shaidulla Hall.

In Dhaka, Islam Khan used to stay in the old fort, which is now the Dhaka Central Jail. Since his time Dhaka started growing bigger in size as a capital. Manrique, who came to Dhaka in 1640 A.D., described it as a "great and famous city". He mentioned of a Magh raid on Dhaka which had taken place twelve years before he came here. The Arakanese Magh king, Thudhamma, with the help of Portuguese, and on the invitation of Raja Kedar Roy, one of the Bara Bhuiyn, landed in Dhaka without any résistance from the Mughal contingent stationed here. The Magh spent three days sacking the city, setting fire to it at deferent parts. On hearing that a great force of Mughal cavalry was on the way to Dhaka, they left the city on forth day.

The Portuguese took away one of the daughters of Kedar Roy, Angelica, who was later traced at St. Helena, a island in the south Atlantic, helping the British conquer the island from the Portuguese. At that time many Bengalis used to work as Khalashi (sailors) in Portuguese ships. Ali was the leader of a group of khalashi. He joined hands with Angelica to help the British.

Tavernier visited Dhaka in 1666 A.D. and wrote, "Dhaka is a great town……….The length of this town is about two leagues." Captain Bowrey, who came to Dhaka about twelve years after Tavernier had come, wrote, "The city of Dhaka is very large and specious one……"

Mir Jumla was appointed the Governor of Bengal in 1660 A.D. He conducted a successful campaign against Assam. On his coming back from Assam he brought with him two huge cannons to Dhaka. The cannons were set on the bank of Buriganga River. One of them fell into the river and got lost for ever. The other, called Bibi Marium, transferred to Chalkbazar. Sometime in 1950s it was brought to the traffic island at Gulisthan, and became known as 'Gulisthaner Caman'. Once very famous, this cannon has got lost in oblivion of the people due to its present inconspicuous location at Osmani Uddyan.

Mir Jumla erected the Dhaka Gate, which now stands in good condition near the Doel Chattar. This was a gate on the north to enter the main part of the city at that time. Not much later Dhaka expanded further north beyond that gate, at one stage, up to Tongi. As a capital, Dhaka started flourishing fast in trade and commerce that attracted many foreign traders to it. The city became the main center for Muslin trade. Dutch, French, English, Armenian and Greek traders flocked to Dhaka to do business. They established their own trading houses. With the traders also came Christian missionaries.

The Portuguese Jesuit Missionary built the first church in Dhaka at Tejgown in 1677 A.D. Though at that time Tejgown was the suburb of Dhaka City, but afterwards when the city lost its status of a capital and gradually shrank, a thick jungle grew in between the city and Tejgown. In early nineteenth century, William Robinson wrote, "Tejga is a village …. The way to it from Dhaka lies through a dense jungle, once the site of numerous pleasure gardens: the walls of which in many places still remain. This jungle is beautiful in appearance, but it is not passed without danger, it being the habitation of tigers."

Prince Azam, son of Emperor Aurongajeb, started the construction of the Lalbag Fort in 1678 A.D., but before he could complete it he had to leave Sube Bangla. In his second tenure (1678-1680 A.D.) as the Subadar, Shaista Khan continued the construction of the fort. But on the death of his daughter, Pari Bibi, he abandoned the construction; and the fort remained incomplete. Lalbag Fort is going to be recognized soon as a 'World Heritage' by UNESCO. Ibrahim Khan became Subadar of Bengal in 1689 A.D. He built the Jinjira Palace on the south bank of Buriganga River. A wooden bridge on the river connected the palace to the north bank. Bishop Heber came to Dhaka in 1824 A.D. to consecrate the Anglican Church on Johnson Road, to the north of Bahadur Shah Park. He described Jinjira Palace as bigger than the Kremlin Palace in Moscow. After the Battle of Plasy in 1757 A.D., Amena Begum and Ghaseti Begum, the mother and aunt of Nowab Sirajuddawla, were kept as prisoners in this palace. On the behest of Miran, the son of Mir Zafar, they were taken to the river Dhaleswari and killed by drowning in the river.

A few decades back from now the ruins of the Jinjira Palace were traceable, but at present no trace of it is there; the destructive hands of human being have obliterated everything of it from the face of the earth.

Prince Azimushshan, grandson of Emperor Aurongajeb, became the Subadar of Bengal in 1697 A.D. The Emperor Appointed Murshid Kuli Khan as the Dewan of the Suba in 1700 A.D. The Subadar used to live in Rajmahal, but the Dewan, in Dhaka. The relation between the Subadar and the Dewan was extremely bad. Azimushshan made a futile attempt by his men in Dhaka to kill Murshid Kuli Khan in 1704 A.D. For the safety of his life, Murshid Kuli Khan immediately shifted his office from Dhaka to Murshidabad. When in 1717 A.D. he was appointed the Subadar, Murshidabad became the capital of Bengal. Though Dhaka remained as a seat for a deputy governor.

Murshid Kuli Khan built a beautiful mosque at Begum Bazaar. The mosque is now surrounded by shops on all sides. Our national mosque, Baitul Mokkarram has taught us that shops can be built around a mosque. We have been relentlessly following that teaching.Some famous Mughal buildings in Dhaka are: the tomb of Pari Bibi (1684), Bara Katra (1664), Choto Katra (1663), Husaini Dalan (1642), the Great Idgah (1640), Churihatta Mosque (1649), Satgombuz Mosque (1680), Khan Muhammad Mridha Mosque (1704) etc. Bara Katra and Choto Katra are now on the point of destruction. The mosque of the Great Idgah at Dhanmondi has been defaced in the name of extension. With the losing of the status as a capital at the hands of Murshid Kuli Khan, Dhaka started declining fast. During the time of Shaista Khan (1644-77 and 1680-88 A.D.), Dhaka City extended along the Burriganga River for about 10 (ten) miles. Rennell's map of Dhaka, published in 1780, showed that the extension of the city shark to only about four miles.

The lithographs and sketches of Dhaka City done by Sir Charles D'Oyly, who came to Dhaka in 1808 A.D. as the collector of the East India Company and left the city in 1824 A.D., show how the city lost its glamour and became almost ruined by that time.

During Mughal Period two rivers, Dulai and Pandu, with their branches used to flow through the Dhaka City. Dulai River gradually turned into Dholai Khal (canal) and in 1960's choked up with earth. Lohar pul (Iron Bridge) at Gandaria was on the Dulai River. There was a bridge on the Pandu River, known as Ambar Shah Bridge, which connected Shahbag with Kawran Bazzar. The deep and dry canal in Paribagh, which has very recently been filled up, and the canal in the back of Hotel Sonargown, which is now being excavated, are actually the parts of the course of Pandu River.

Pandu River had at least two branches to the south to fall into the Dulai River. One branch flowed east of Suhrawardy Uddyan in south-eastern direction. The trace of the other branch was visible even a few years back between Nazimuddin Road and Dhaka Medical Collage. Chankhar Pol was on this branch. Dulai and Pandu rivers have got obliterated in the hands of imprudent and land grabber human beings. It is now the turn for Burriganga, Turag and Balu rivers to get obliterated by them under the eyes of unconcerned administration.

At the partition of Bengal in 1905 A.D., Dhaka was made the capital of the newly formed province of East Bengal and Assam. But the bonanza was short lived. In 1912 A.D. the partition of Bengal was annulled by King Gorge the Fifth at Delhi Darbar, and Kolkata became the capital of united Bengal; at the same time the capital of the British-India Empire transferred from Kolkata to Delhi. Dhaka was compensated, for its being stripped of the status of a capital, with the establishment of Dhaka University in 1921 A.D. The residence building built for the teachers of the university on the Mintoo Road are now being used as the residence of ministers.

As the Old Dhaka is the Mughal part of the Dhaka City, Ramna area is the British part of it. Some landmark buildings in Dhaka built during British period are: North brook Hall, Ahsan Manjil, Rup Lal House, Curzon Hall, Old High Court building etc. Curzon Hall, now a part of the Dhaka University, was originally meant for a town hall. The Physics Building built to the west of the Curzon Hall during the Pakistan Period has such an ugly look that looking at the two buildings standing side by side make one remember the phrase 'the beauty and the beast.' The Physics Building could have been built after the architectural design of the Curzon Hall.

The British left Indian subcontinent in 1947 A.D., and Dhaka became the capital of East Bengal - the eastern wing of Pakistan. Later in 1956 A.D. the political name of East Bengal was changed into East Pakistan. With the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent country in 1971 A.D. through the nine-month long liberation war, Dhaka has become the capital of the country.