Dhaka District(ঢাকা)

Tour Of Dhaka City

Dhaka District (Bengali: ঢাকা জেলা, Dhaka Jela also Dhaka Zila) is a district located in central Bangladesh, and is the densest district in the nation. It is a part of the Dhaka Division. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, rests on the eastern banks of the Buriganga River which flows from the Turag to the south of the district. While Dhaka (city corporation) occupies only about a fifth of the area of Dhaka district, it is the economic, political and cultural center of the district and the country as a whole. Dhaka District is an administrative entity, and like many other cities, it does not cover the modern conurbation which is Greater Dhaka, which has spilled into neighboring districts, nor does the conurbation cover the whole district, as there are rural areas within the district.


Dhaka District shares borders with Gazipur and Tangail to the north, Munshiganj and Rajbari to the south, Narayanganj to the east and Manikganj to the west. Main rivers flowing through this district are Padma, Kaliganga, Dhaleshwari, Ichamati, Shitalakshya, Buriganga and numerous smaller rivers including Bangshi, Turag, Balu, Elamjani, Alam, Bherujkha, Ramkrishnadi, Elisamari, Tulsikhali. Major lakes ("beels") include Belai, Saldaher, Labandaher, Churain, Damsharan and Kiranjir Beel. Annual average temperature of the district is maximum 34.5°C, minimum 11.5°C; average annual rainfall 1931mm.

Demographics
The population of the division reached 18,305,671 people as of Census 2012 revised figures. Some 9,852,835 males live in the city as of the 2012 census, for a sex ratio of 119. Since the district is differnt from Greater Dhaka, some 3.6 million people are classified as rural. The district population grew at 4.73% annually over the decade, and is home to 2,786,183 households.

The district does not cover all parts of Greater Dhaka, and Greater Dhaka does not include all parts of the district, which includes rural areas. Dhaka was established in 1772. The district consists of 46 upazilas/thanas, 86 unions, 974 mauzas, 1999 villages, 1 City Corporation, 92 City Wards, 855 City Mahallas, 3 paurashavas, 27 wards and 133 mahallas.
The five upazilas in Dhaka district not part of the city are:
Dhamrai Upazila (ধামরাই উপজেলা), suburuban and rural
Dohar Upazila (দোহার উপজেলা), suburban and rural
Keraniganj Upazila (কেরানীগঞ্জ উপজেলা), suburban
Nawabganj Upazila (নবাবগঞ্জ উপজেলা), suburban and rural
Savar Upazila (সাভার উপজেলা), suburban
Dhaka (city) has twenty-two thanas under its jurisdiction. They are:
Badda (বাড্ডা থানা)
Biman Bandar (বিমান বন্দর থানা)
Cantonment (ক্যান্টনমেন্ট থানা)
Dhanmondi (ধানমন্ডি থানা)
Demra (ডেমরা থানা)
Kotwali (কোতয়ালী থানা)
Gulshan (গুলশান থানা)
Hazaribagh (হাজারীবাগ থানা)
Kafrul (কাফরুল থানা)
Kamringir Char (কামরাঙ্গীর চর থানা)
Khilgaon (খিলগাঁও থানা)
Lalbagh (লালবাগ থানা)
Mugda (মুগদা থানা)
Mirpur (মিরপুর থানা)
Mohammadpur (মোহাম্মদপুর থানা)
Motijheel (মতিঝিল থানা)
Pallabi (পল্লবী থানা)
Paltan
Ramna (রমনা থানা)
Sabujbagh (সবুজবাগ থানা)
Shyampur (শ্যামপুর থানা)
Sutrapur (সুত্রাপুর থানা)
Tejgaon (তেজগাঁও থানা)
Uttara (উত্তরা থানা)
The municipal area of Dhaka city is under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka City Corporation; for administrative purposes, the municipal area is divided into 92 wards.

Main article: History of Dhaka
Lalbagh Fort was developed by Shaista Khan.
The administrative Dhaka District was first established in 1772. But, the existence of urbanised settlements in the area that is now Dhaka city — dates from the 7th century. The present day Savar was the capital of the Sanbagh Kingdom during seventh and eighth century. The city area of Dhaka was ruled by the Buddhist kingdom of Kamarupa and the Pala Empire before passing to the control of the Hindu Sena dynasty in the 9th century. Many believe that the name of the city was derived after the establishment of the Goddess Dhakeshwari's temple by Ballal Sena in the 12th century. Dhaka and its surrounding area was identified as Bengalla around that period. The town itself consisted of a few market centers like Lakshmi Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Patuatuli, Kumartuli, Bania Nagar and Goal Nagar. After the Sena dynasty, Dhaka was successively ruled by the Turkish and Afghan governors descending from the Delhi Sultanate before the arrival of the Mughals in 1608.
The development of townships and a significant growth in population came as the city was proclaimed the capital of Bengal under Mughal rule in 1608. During Mughal rule the areas currently under Dhaka district was famous for its textile products — especially the Muslin. Mughal subahdar Islam Khan was the first administrator of the city.[4] Khan named the town "Jahangir Nagar" (City of Jahangir) in honour of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, although this name was dropped soon after Jahangir's death. The main expansion of the city took place under Mughal general Shaista Khan. The city then measured 19 by 13 kilometres (12 by 8 mi), with a population of nearly a million people. The city passed to the control of the British East India Company in 1757 after the Battle of Plassey and eventually to the Crown, British Empire, in 1765 at the Battle of Buxer. The city's population shrank dramatically during this period as the prominence of Kolkata rose, but substantive development and modernisation eventually followed. A modern civic water supply system was introduced in 1874 and electricity supply launched in 1878. The Dhaka Cantonment was established near the city, serving as a base for British and Indian soldiers.


Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban houses the national parliament.
During the abortive Partition of Bengal in 1905, Dhaka was declared to be the capital of the newly established state of Eastern Bengal and Assam, but Bengal was reunited in 1911. The rural areas under present Dhaka district, especially Dohar Upazila were used for the production of indigo.
Following the partition of Bengal in (1947) appending the partition of British India in 1947, Dhaka became the capital of East Bengal as a part of the new Muslim state of Pakistan, while western part of Bengal with a majority Hindu population had become a part of the new and independent India, designated as West Bengal with Calcutta as state capital. Calcutta witnessed communal violence that left thousands of people dead. A large proportion of the city's Hindu population departed for India, while the city received hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants from Calcutta, India. The city's population rose dramatically in a very short period of time, which created severe shortages and infrastructural problems. As the center of regional politics, Dhaka saw an increasing number of political strikes and incidents of violence. The adoption of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan led to protest marches involving large crowds. Known as the language movement of 1952, the protests resulted in police firing which killed students who were demonstrating peacefully.Throughout the 1950s and '60s, Dhaka remained a hotbed of political activity, and the demands for autonomy for the Bengali population gradually gained momentum.
The 1970 Bhola cyclone devastated much of the region, killing an estimated 500,000 people. More than half the city of Dhaka was flooded and millions of people marooned.[citation needed] With public anger growing against ethnic discrimination and poor cyclone relief efforts from the central government, Bengali politician Sheikh Mujibur Rahman held a nationalist rally on March 7, 1971 at the Race Course Ground. An estimated one million people attended the gathering, leading to Ziaur Rahman's March 26 declaration of Bangladesh's independence. In response, the Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight, which led to the arrests, torture and killing of hundreds of thousands of people, mainly Hindus and Bengali intellectuals.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War the Pakistan army arrested and killed fourteen Muktijoddhas from Dhamrai Bazar. A mass grave created during the war still exists in the western side of Kalampur Bazar. The Pak army also burnt down many houses in Konakhola, Basta, Brahmankirtha, Goalkhali and Khagail Kholamora villages of Keraniganj Upazila.
The fall of Dhaka city to the allied forces led by Jagjit Singh Aurora on December 16 marked the surrender of Pakistan army. The post-independence period has seen a rapid and massive growth of the city population, attracting migrant workers from rural areas across Bangladesh. A real estate boom has followed the expansion of city limits and the development of new settlements such as Gulshan, Banani and Motijheel.

Visit the Historical Places of Dhaka

Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh, and situated on South Asia. It was born in July month. It is positioned on the banks of Buriganga River and has huge inhabitants of about 13 million. It’s called the "City of Mosques". Dhaka is also known as the finest muslin city in the whole world, which main attraction is a kind of cotton fabric that is finely woven, making curtains, dresses and other clothing materials.

The Dhaka City was started approximate year of 1608-1610 by Subedar Islam Khan as the order of emperor Jahangir.  Now Dhaka is the midpoint of cultural, economic and political life in Bangladesh. Also Dhaka City is a place with so many remarkable places for visit. The Dhaka city is fully loaded with its own culture and beautiful people and visited by many nations from all around the world.

Here I propound some of the remarkable places to visit in Dhaka, Bangladesh:

Lalbagh Fort
This is one of the attractive place to of Old Dhaka. It is still now from about 400 years of Dhaka city’s silent remembrance. The palace is a pattern of Mogol era. It was build by Azam, son of emperor Aorongazeb in 1678. It was continued by Nabab Shayesta Khan but, after death of Pari Bibi daughter of  Nabab Shayesta Khan was stopped it’s construction in 1684.

There are three building in area of Lalbag Fort..
1. Darbar Hall and Hammam Khana at central point.
2. Grave of Pari Bibi.
3. Shahi Mosque situated in the north-west corner.

There are also a nice-looking Gate and a garden on the wall of south side.

Armenian Church
This is also an attractive place in Armanitola, old Dhaka. This good-looking church was built by the Armenian camp for the age of the year 1791. The big church is an beautiful ancient-looking minster whereas it’s structure back in the 17th century.

Actually Emperor Akbar was permitted to built the Armenian Church for their business, stay for live. In the year of 1781 a rich man Nicolas Catholic was build it and he gives its name Church of the Resurrection.


Tara Masjid (Star Mosque)
This Mosque is located in Armanitola area, Dhaka, Bangladesh of the old symbol of the city. This mosque is desined by motifs of blue color stars. It was built 19th century by Mirza Golam Pir.

It was built in the Mughal style by Mirza Golam in late 18th century. Next time that’s mean 20th century, Ali Jan Bepari financed the renovation of the mosque and a new veranda which is situated eastern side was added. The mosque is festooned with imported Japanese and English china clay tiles and utilized both methods of the Chinitikri application.

Jatiyo Shangshod
The National Parliament building situated at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Jatiyo Shangshod is built with a huge complex geometrical plan. Louis Khan was designed of it. Louis Kahn was designed it according to representing Bangladeshi Culture and heritage.

Khan’s own words:
“In the assembly I have introduced a light-giving element to the interior of the plan. If you see a series of columns you can say that the choice of columns is a choice in light. The columns as solids frame the spaces of light. Now think of it just in reverse and think that the columns are hollow and much bigger and that their walls can themselves give light, then the voids are rooms, and the column is the maker of light and can take on complex shapes and be the supporter of spaces and give light to spaces. I am working to develop the element to such an extent that it becomes a poetic entity which has its own beauty outside of its place in the composition. In this way it becomes analogous to the solid column I mentioned above as a giver of light.
It was not belief, not design, not pattern, but the essence from which an institution could emerge...”
Source: Louis I. Kahn. from Heinz Ronner, with Sharad Jhaveri and Alessandro Vasella Louis I. Kahn: Complete Works 1935-74. p236, 238.

Shahid Minar
The Shahid Minar is a national memorial in Dhaka, Bangladesh, recognized to remember those killed during the tongue Movement demonstration of 1952. February 21, 1952 many students of DU and political activists were killed when they are pomping on the road Pakistani shoulders are shoot on pomp.

When the Awami League came to the power they want to remember those martyrs. So they want to build a Shaheed Memorial structure. Current shaheed minar’s design was followed the original plan of 1957.

That’s are just few of the numerous interesting places in Dhaka. Even there are also other several places such as numerous mosques, museums and monuments which are also visit able in Dhaka. All places are open for the public. So guests are all the time welcome to come and see the Beauty of Dhaka.

bara katra (1641)
Bara Katra (Bengali: বড় কাটরা) is a historical and architectural monument located in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a palatial building dating to the reign of the Mughal dynasty in the Bengal region. It is situated to the south of Chowk Bazaar close to the north bank of the river Buriganga.

History

Bara Katra was built between 1644 and 1646 CE to be the official residence of Mughal prince Shah Shuja, the second son of emperor Shah Jahan. The prince endowed it to his diwan and the builder of the serai, Abul Qasim.


Structure
1870 photograph of Bara Katra.
Bara Katra originally enclosed a quadrangular courtyard with 22 rooms on all of its four sides. The ruins consist of an edifice having a river frontage. The southern wing of the structure was planned on a grand scale and was marked with an elaborate three-storeyed gate containing an octagonal central chamber. The remaining portion was two-storeyed and encased by projected octagonal towers.
The gateway structure is lofty in height and projected towards the river. A tall alcove rising to the second storey reduces the mass of this projection. The wall surface is relieved with panels that are square as well as rectangular and that contain a variety of decorations of four-centred, cusped, horseshoe and flat arches. Above the apex of the alcove open the windows of the third storey. Under the alcove is the main arched entrance which leads to the guardroom. Passing through the two successive archways come an octagonal domed hall, the ceiling of which is plastered and bears various net-patterns and foliaged designs. The two-storeyed structure resolves on both sides of the central entrance into a row of five vaulted rooms in the ground floor and living rooms with a continuous corridor on the upper one. The three-storeyed corner towers are hollow and can be approached from the subsidiary structures.


Architecture
1906 photograph of Bara Katra
The building's architecture follows the traditional pattern of the Central Asia's caravanserai and is embellished as per Mughal architecture. It originally enclosed a quadrangular courtyard surrounded by shops and was overlooked by a row of 22 living cells in each wing. Two gateways were built in the northern and southern wing. The southern wing is a two-storeyed structure and extends 223' along the river. It is marked in the middle by the southern gateway -- an elaborate three storey central archway framed within a projected rectangular bay -- that provides access to the courtyard. The underside of the arched alcove of the gateway is adorned with intricate plasterwork. The wall surface around the spandrels with plastered panels in relief contain a variety of forms such as four-centred, cusped, horse shoe and flat arches. Each wing is two storeyed and the corners are marked by tall octagonal towers.


Legacy
Ruins of Bara Katra in 2008
More than half of the Katra building was destroyed over time owing to neglect. The building remains in a dilapidated condition. The Bangladeshi government has been unable to take charge of the monument owing to litigation and resistance from its present owners. The owners have made several alterations to the original character of the building and have also started construction of a new multi-storeyed building in the area. Urban encroachment and shanty constructions envelop the palace today.

chhota katra and the tomb of Bibi Champa (1663)