Dhaka Courier, Bangladesh
November 12, 2009 Thursday
Pages of history in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka, Nov. 12 — While 2010 is knocking at the door, one capital city
in the world is taking preparation for celebrating its 400th birth
anniversary; the city is Dhaka. This old city writes its own history,
one just has to learn the language in which this is documented. Yet,
Dhaka like Bengalis is often a bit unmindful about its past and let
many glorious things crumble away in negligence. Whenever people utter
the names of places, buildings and foods in Dhaka, they unconsciously
read out the chapters in history.
Tantibazar (the marketplace for weavers of the famous muslin,
afterwards turned into the largest market of gold jewelry),
Shankharibazar (the marketplace for conch-shell cutters), Kumartuli
(potters’ area), Patuatuli (the area of artists), Sutrapur
(carpenters’ area), Goalnagar (milkmen’s market), Kashaituli
(butchers’ area), Tikatuli (market area for hookah’s tika), Dhanmondi
(rice market), Nilkhet (field for indigo planting), etc. tell the
names of areas and markets for certain items and certain occupation of
the people who settled here at the beginning of this city. Likewise,
Farashganj was a market place set up by the French who came to Bengal
in 1680s after the English. Armanitola is the residential area of rich
Armenians who came and lived here since seventeenth century.
When someone walks through Islampur, s/he goes back to 1610 when Islam
Khan, Subedar under Emperor Jahangir, made Dhaka capital of Bengal. He
died at Bhawal near Dhaka and many a person is fond of believing the
grave at the Highcourt Mazaar premises to be his. Azimpur may bear the
name of Prince Mohammad Azam, son of Aurangzeb, who lived in Dhaka as
the ruler of Bengal in 1678. He built the first paved road in Dhaka
and began construction of Aurangabad Palace or Lalbagh Fort. Or it may
be carrying on the name of Azim-us-Shan, a grandson of Aurangzeb, who
lived in Dhaka from 1700 to 1703 as the ruler of Bengal. Lalbagh
snatches one away to the period of Prince Azam and Shaista Khan; the
latter developed the fort but did not complete it owing to the death
of his daughter Pari Bibi, whose tomb is there.
As Subedar of Bengal from 1639 to 1659 Shah Shuja, the second son of
Emperor Shah Jahan, preferred Rajmahal to Dhaka as his capital for
political reasons, but he did not ignore Dhaka. During his period in
1640 Portuguese missionary Fray Sebastien Manrique traveled to Dhaka
and gave an interesting description of Bengal. In 1640 Dhanmondi
Eidgah was built by Mir Abul Quasim, Dewan of Prince Shuja. Husseini
Dalan as a Shia religious building was built on his orders by Mir
Murad. Abul Qasim also built Bara Katra as Shuja’s residence in 1644.
The cannon at Osmani Uddyan tells of the victory of Mir Jumla, Subedar
of Bengal under Aurangzeb in 1660, against his enemies in Assam. Chawk
Mosque, Shatgombuz Mosque and the Dhaka gate inscribed with ‘Let him
only open this gate who can show the selling rate of rice as cheap as
this,’ which was 8 maunds per rupee, speaks for Shaista Khan, Subedar
of Bengal during (1664-1688). Whenever someone puts his/her teeth into
Bakkarkhani, the soft crispy bread melting in the mouth speaks of Aga
Baker, Diwan of Murshidkuli Khan, and his amour Khani Begum.
Lalbagh Fort is the witness of the revolt of the native soldiers
against the British during the Great Rebellion of 1857. As in the Red
Fort in India, they were defeated by the force led by the East India
Company. They and the soldiers who fled from Meerat were hanged to
death at the Victoria Park. In 1858 the declaration of Queen Victoria
of taking over the administrative control of India from the Company
was read out at the Victoria park, latter renamed Bahadur Shah Park
after the name of the last Mughal Emperor who led that greatest
rebellion against then British empire.
In 1835 Dhaka Collegiate School as an English Seminary, in 1841 Dhaka
College, in 1848 Pogose School built by the Armenian zamindar Nicholas
Pogose, in 1858 Dhaka Brahma School now turned into Jagannath
University, in 1874 Dhaka Madrassah now turned into Kabi Nazrul
College were founded and carried the torch of enlightenment for the
nation. Then in 1921 founding of Dhaka University made the rise of an
independent Bengali nationhood unstoppable. Dhaka has no more looked
back since then.
Pages of history are open to read in the city of Dhaka. Whenever
people move through this city they unknowingly leaf through the pages
of history. Some pages get soiled everyday; some even are being torn
away; and some might be lost forever if serious attention is not
devoted to it. Published by HT Syndication with permission from Dhaka
Courier.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
