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'''Dhaka''' ([[Geographical renaming|previously]] '''Dacca'''; [[Bengali language|Bangla]]: ঢাকা ''Đhaka''; {{IPA2|ɖʱaka}}) is the capital of [[Bangladesh]] and the [[Dhaka District]]. The city is situated on the [[Buriganga River]], at {{coor dms|23|42|0|N|90|22|30|E|type:city_region:BD}} ( 23.7, 90.375). With a population exceeding 12 million, Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh and [[List of metropolitan areas by population|twelfth most populous]] city in the world.
'''Dhaka''' ([[Geographical renaming|previously]] '''Dacca'''; [[Bengali language|Bangla]]: ঢাকা ''Đhaka''; {{IPA2|ɖʱaka}}) is the capital of [[Bangladesh]] and the [[Dhaka District]]. The city is situated on the [[Buriganga River]], at {{coor dms|23|42|0|N|90|22|30|E|type:city_region:BD}} ( 23.7, 90.375). With a population exceeding 12 million, Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh and [[List of metropolitan areas by population|twelfth most populous]] city in the world.


Under [[Mughal Empire|Mughal rule]], the city was known as [[Jahangir Nagar]]. The modern city was largely developed by [[British Raj|British authorities]] and soon became the second-largest city in [[Bengal]] after [[Kolkata]]. With the [[partition of India]], Dhaka became the administrative capital of [[East Pakistan]] before becoming the capital of an independent Bangladesh in 1972. During this period Dhaka witnessed extensive political turmoil, including many periods of [[martial law]], the declaration of Bangladesh's independence, [[Operation Searchlight|military suppression]] and devastation from war and natural calamities.
Under [[Mughal Empire|Mughal rule]], the city was also known as [[Jahangir Nagar]]. The modern city was largely developed by [[British Raj|British authorities]] and soon became the second-largest city in [[Bengal]] after [[Kolkata]]. With the [[partition of India]], Dhaka became the administrative capital of [[East Pakistan]] before becoming the capital of an independent Bangladesh in 1972. During this period Dhaka witnessed extensive political turmoil, including many periods of [[martial law]], the declaration of Bangladesh's independence, [[Operation Searchlight|military suppression]] and devastation from war and natural calamities.


Modern Dhaka is the centre of political, cultural and economic life in Bangladesh, enjoying the highest literacy rate amongst other Bangladeshi cities and a diverse, booming economy. While the urban infrastructure is the most developed in the country, Dhaka suffers from severe challenges such as [[pollution]], [[congestion]], supply shortages, [[poverty]] and [[crime]]. In recent decades Dhaka has seen a modernisation of transport, communications and public works. The city is attracting modern industries, greater volumes of commerce and trade and an increasing number of works from across the nation.
Modern Dhaka is the centre of political, cultural and economic life in Bangladesh, enjoying the highest literacy rate amongst other Bangladeshi cities and a diverse, booming economy. While the urban infrastructure is the most developed in the country, Dhaka suffers from severe challenges such as [[pollution]], [[congestion]], supply shortages, [[poverty]] and [[crime]]. In recent decades Dhaka has seen a modernisation of transport, communications and public works. The city is attracting modern industries, greater volumes of commerce and trade and an increasing number of works from across the nation.
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}}</ref> The city was called "Jahangir Nagar" (''City of Jahangir'') in honour of the Mughal emperor [[Jahangir]]. The main expansion of the city took place under Mughal general [[Shaista Khan]]. The city then stretched for 12 miles in length and 8 miles in breadth and is believed to have had a population of nearly a million people.<ref name="UMR">{{cite web
}}</ref> Khan christened 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 stretched for 12 miles in length and 8 miles in breadth and is believed to have had a population of nearly a million people.<ref name="UMR">{{cite web
| last =
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| first = Dhaka City Corporation
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}}</ref> Bangladeshi women wearing white with red linning (mostly) sarees and men in [[Punjabi suit]] cover the streets of [[Shahbaug]], [[Ramna Park]], and the campus of the [[University of Dhaka]]. The most popular dressing style for women are ''[[Sari|Sarees]]'' or ''[[Salwar Kameez]]'', while men usually prefer western clothing to the traditional ''[[Lungi]]''. Various folk bands and singers from all over the country performs at those street corners. [[Bangladeshi cuisine]], especially the sweet ''[[rasgulla]]'' and ''[[gulab jamun]]'' are enjoyed in almost every home and restaurant. The ''[[Durga Puja]]'' is the most important Hindu festival of the year. Large processions of Hindus perform devotional songs, dances, prayers and ceremonies for Goddess [[Durga]], exemplifying the best of Hindu and Bengali culture. The Muslim festivals of [[Eid ul-Fitr]] and [[Eid ul-Adha]] witnesses widespread celebrations, with hundreds of thousands of Muslims attending prayers in almost every city mosque. The festivals of [[Asharh]] and [[Christmas]] are also celebrated by many segments of the population.
}}</ref> Bangladeshi women wearing white with red linning (mostly) sarees and men in [[Punjabi suit]] cover the streets of [[Shahbaug]], [[Ramna Park]], and the campus of the [[University of Dhaka]]. The most popular dressing style for women are ''[[Sari|Sarees]]'' or ''[[Salwar Kameez]]'', while men usually prefer western clothing to the traditional ''[[Lungi]]''. Various folk bands and singers from all over the country performs at those street corners. [[Bangladeshi cuisine]], diverse South Asian culinary traditions as well as [[continental cuisine]] are enjoyed in almost every part of the country. The ''[[Durga Puja]]'' is the most important Hindu festival of the year. Large processions of Hindus perform devotional songs, dances, prayers and ceremonies for Goddess [[Durga]], exemplifying the best of Hindu and Bengali culture. The Muslim festivals of [[Eid ul-Fitr]] and [[Eid ul-Adha]] witnesses widespread celebrations, with hundreds of thousands of Muslims attending prayers in almost every city mosque.


For much of recent history, Dhaka was characterised by roadside markets and small shops that sold a wide variety of goods. Recent years have seen the widespread construction of shopping malls and multiplexes, attracting Dhaka's growing middle-class and wealthy residents. Despite the growing popularity of music groups and rock bands, traditional [[music of Bangladesh#Folk Songs|folk music]] remains widely popular. The [[ghazal]] songs of [[Runa Laila]], the folk music of [[Habib Wahid]] and the works of the national poet [[Kazi Nazrul Islam]] and [[Rabindranath Tagore]] are also celebrated across Dhaka. Indian and Pakistani music and films are popular with large segments of Dhaka's population. [[Bangladesh Betar]] is the state-run, primary provider of radio services and broadcasts a variety of programming in Bangla and English. In recent years many private radio networks have been established in the city. [[Bangladesh Television]] is the state-run broadcasting network that operates numerous channels and provides a wide variety of programmes in Bangla and English. Cable and satellite networks such as [[ATN Bangla]], [[RTV (Bangladesh)|RTV]], [[ESPN]], [[NTV (Bangladesh)|NTV]] and [[STAR TV]] are amongst the most popular channels. The main offices and organisations of almost every publication in Bangladesh are based in Dhaka. The ''[[Prothom Alo]]'' and ''[[Ittefaq|The Daily Ittefaq]]'' are the most popular amongst the large number of Bangla language dailies, periodicals and other publications in the city. ''[[Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]]'' and ''[[The Independent (Bangladesh)|The Independent]]'' are the largest English language dailies published in the city. Although [[cellular phone]]s are gaining popularity, less than 10% of households have telephone access.<ref name="EDemo1">{{cite web
For much of recent history, Dhaka was characterised by roadside markets and small shops that sold a wide variety of goods. Recent years have seen the widespread construction of shopping malls and multiplexes, attracting Dhaka's growing middle-class and wealthy residents. Despite the growing popularity of music groups and rock bands, traditional [[music of Bangladesh#Folk Songs|folk music]] remains widely popular. The [[ghazal]] songs of [[Runa Laila]], the folk music of [[Habib Wahid]] and the works of the national poet [[Kazi Nazrul Islam]] and [[Rabindranath Tagore]] are also celebrated across Dhaka. Indian and Pakistani music and films are popular with large segments of Dhaka's population. [[Bangladesh Betar]] is the state-run, primary provider of radio services and broadcasts a variety of programming in Bangla and English. In recent years many private radio networks have been established in the city. [[Bangladesh Television]] is the state-run broadcasting network that operates numerous channels and provides a wide variety of programmes in Bangla and English. Cable and satellite networks such as [[ATN Bangla]], [[RTV (Bangladesh)|RTV]], [[ESPN]], [[NTV (Bangladesh)|NTV]] and [[STAR TV]] are amongst the most popular channels. The main offices and organisations of almost every publication in Bangladesh are based in Dhaka. The ''[[Prothom Alo]]'' and ''[[Ittefaq|The Daily Ittefaq]]'' are the most popular amongst the large number of Bangla language dailies, periodicals and other publications in the city. ''[[Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]]'' and ''[[The Independent (Bangladesh)|The Independent]]'' are the largest English language dailies published in the city. Although [[cellular phone]]s are gaining popularity, less than 10% of households have telephone access.<ref name="EDemo1">{{cite web

Revision as of 16:10, 28 September 2006

Dhaka
File:Dhaka-panorama.jpg
Map
CountryBangladesh
Administrative DistrictDhaka District
Government
 • MayorSadeque Hossain Khoka
Population
 (2006 est.)
 • City6 million
 • Metro
9.3 million
Time zoneUTC+6

Dhaka (previously Dacca; Bangla: ঢাকা Đhaka; IPA: [ɖʱaka]) is the capital of Bangladesh and the Dhaka District. The city is situated on the Buriganga River, at 23°42′0″N 90°22′30″E / 23.70000°N 90.37500°E / 23.70000; 90.37500 ( 23.7, 90.375). With a population exceeding 12 million, Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh and twelfth most populous city in the world.

Under Mughal rule, the city was also known as Jahangir Nagar. The modern city was largely developed by British authorities and soon became the second-largest city in Bengal after Kolkata. With the partition of India, Dhaka became the administrative capital of East Pakistan before becoming the capital of an independent Bangladesh in 1972. During this period Dhaka witnessed extensive political turmoil, including many periods of martial law, the declaration of Bangladesh's independence, military suppression and devastation from war and natural calamities.

Modern Dhaka is the centre of political, cultural and economic life in Bangladesh, enjoying the highest literacy rate amongst other Bangladeshi cities and a diverse, booming economy. While the urban infrastructure is the most developed in the country, Dhaka suffers from severe challenges such as pollution, congestion, supply shortages, poverty and crime. In recent decades Dhaka has seen a modernisation of transport, communications and public works. The city is attracting modern industries, greater volumes of commerce and trade and an increasing number of works from across the nation.

History

Main article: History of Dhaka
File:Lal Bager Kellah.jpg
The Lal Bagh Fort was developed by Shaista Khan.

The existence of urbanised settlements in the area that is now Dhaka dates from the 7th century CE. The city area was ruled by the Buddhist kingdom of Kamarupa before passing to the control of the Sena dynasty in the 9th century CE.[1] 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 CE. The Dhaka area of that time was identified as Bengalla. The town consisted of a few market centers like Lakshmi Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, and a few localities of other craftsmen and businessmen like Patuatuli and 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 Afghan Fort in Dhaka was located at the present Central Jail.[1]

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 CE. Mughal subedar Islam Khan was the first viceroy administrator of the city.[2] Khan christened 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 stretched for 12 miles in length and 8 miles in breadth and is believed to have had a population of nearly a million people.[2] The city passed to the control of the British East India Company in 1765 after the Battle of Plassey. Owing to the war, the city's population shrank dramatically in a short period of time.[3] Under British rule, many modern educational institutions, public works and townships were developed. A modern water supply system was introduced in 1874 and electricity supply in 1878.[4] The Dhaka Cantonment was established near the city, serving as a base for British and Indian soldiers.

The Shaheed Minar, located near Dhaka Medical College, commemorates the Language Movement of 1952

Following the partition of Bengal in 1905 and again in 1947 Dhaka became the capital of East Bengal. On August 15, 1947 East Bengal became a part of the new Muslim state of Pakistan. The city witnessed serious 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. The city's population catapaulted in a very short period of time, creating severe shortages and infrastructural problems.[5][6] As the centre 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 hundreds of thousands of people. Known as the Language movement of 1952, the protests soon degenerated into widespread violence after police firing killed students who were demonstrating peacefully.[7]

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 waterlogged, with millions of people marooned.[8] The following year saw Bengali politician Sheikh Mujibur Rahman hold a massive nationalist rally on March 7, 1971 at the Race Course Ground that attracted an estimated one million people.[9][10] Galvanising public anger against ethnic discrimination and poor cyclone relief efforts from the central government, the gathering preceeded the March 26 declaration of Bangladesh's independence.[9] 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.[11] The fall of the city to the Indian Army on December 16 marked the creation of the independent state of Bangladesh. The post-independence period has also seen a massive growth of the population, attracting migrant workers from rural areas across Bangladesh.[6] Dhaka's growth picked up tremendous pace since 1971 and private initiative played a dominant role in the development of these areas and hence lack of planning is evident. Planned growth in the private sector is noticeable recently in the area east of Baridhara - the Basundhara, where considerable low-lying areas were raised for housing.[6] A real estate boom has followed the development of new settlements such as Gulshan, Banani and Motijheel.

Geography and climate

Dhaka city map.

Dhaka is located in southern Bangladesh at 23°42′0″N 90°22′30″E / 23.70000°N 90.37500°E / 23.70000; 90.37500. The city covers a total area close to 815.85 square kilometres.[12] It consists of seven principal thanas — Dhanmondi, Kotwali, Motijheel, Ramna, Mohammadpur, Sutrapur and Tejgaon — and 14 auxiliary thanas — Gulshan, Lalbagh, Mirpur, Pallabi, Sabujbagh, Cantonment, Demra, Hazaribagh, Shyampur, Badda, Kafrul, Kamrangir char, Khilgaon and Uttara. In total the city has 130 wards and 725 mohallas.[13] Dhaka district has an area of 1463.60 sq km and is bounded by the districts of Gazipur, Tangail, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Narayanganj, Manikganj.[13] The city is based on the eastern banks of the Buriganga River, which is the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. Located on the lower reaches of the Ganges Delta, Dhaka's landscape is almost entirely flat. Tropical vegetation and moist soils characterise the land. The lay of the land is very close to sea-level, leaving Dhaka susceptible to rising floods and waterlogging during the monsoon seasons owing to heavy rainfall as well as from tropical storms and cyclones.

The people of Dhaka experience a hot, wet and humid tropical climate. The city is within the monsoon climate zone, with an annual average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees fahrenheit) and monthly means varying between 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees fahrenheit) in January and 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees fahrenheit) in August. Nearly 80% of the annual average rainfall of 1,854 mm (73 inches) occurs between May and September.[12] Summers are very hot and dry, while winters are moderately cool and relatively dry. The intensive development and expansion of the urban agglomeration is causing serious soil erosion and environmental damage. Increasing air and water pollution emanating from traffic congestion and industrial waste are serious problems affecting the quality of life in the city and diminishing the natural habitat of aquatic and wildlife. The water bodies in and around Dhaka city are facing extinction as these are being filled up to construct multi-storied buildings for human habitation.[14] More than 9.7 million tonnes of solid wastes are produced in Dhaka city each year. Many private and government efforts have succeeded in collecting garbage city-wide and using it as manure.[14] However, solid wastes are often dumped untreated in nearby low-lying areas and water bodies. Industrial and chemical pollution are threatening to destroy Dhaka's water bodies and ecosystem. Air pollution is also a serious threat to health in Dhaka.[14]


See also: Geography of Bangladesh

Civic administration

Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban, designed by Louis I. Kahn, houses the National Parliament of Bangladesh. Photo by Karl E. Roehl

The Dhaka Municipality was founded on August 1, 1864 and the city was governed under a municipal board. In 1978, the central government upgraded the city to "corporation" status.[15] The Dhaka City Corporation is a self-governing corporation that is associated with the task of running the affairs of the city. The incorporated area is divided into several wards. Each ward has an elected ward commissioner. The mayor of the city is elected by popular vote every five years, and the post is presently held by Sadeque Hossain Khoka.[16] The corporation manages the affairs of construction, land and sewage while regulating electricity, transport and environmental standards. The Dhaka Education Board is responsible for administering all public schools with the exception of English-medium schools and madrassahs. Aside from Chittagong, Dhaka is the only city with a water-borne sewerage system, but this serves only 15 percent of the population while another 30 percent are served with septic tanks.[14] Only 25% of the city's population is connected to the piped sewerage system, and only two-thirds of the households are connected to water. A majority of households use open latrines. Dhaka has one of the highest rates of death from infectious disease of any city in Asia.[17]

The city is divided into 10 parliamentary constituencies. The two main political parties are the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Ramna contains the Secretariat, which houses most of the government ministries and the Supreme Court. The Bangabhaban palace has served as the official residence of the Viceroy of India, the governor of East Pakistan and presently the President of Bangladesh. The Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban was designed by world famous architect Louis Kahn.[18] It houses the unicameral national parliament. The Baitul Mukarram, developed with a design resembling the Kaaba of Mecca, is designated the national mosque of the nation. The Bara Katra palace, the Hoseni Dalan and the Ahsan Manzil are amongst many historical monuments in the city.

Economy

Bashundhara City

Dhaka is the commercial heart of Bangladesh, accounting for more than half of its exports, revenues and net GDP growth. Much of the city's economic infrastructure had been destroyed during the Bangladesh Liberation War, and by natural calamities. Most of Bangladesh's skilled workers are employed in the businesses and industries located in the Dhaka metropolitan area. The Export Processing Zone in Dhaka was set up to encourage the export of garments, textiles and other goods. The EPZ is home to 80 factories, which employ mostly women.[19] The Dhaka Stock Exchange is based in the city as are most banks, national and multinational companies, including the Bangladesh Bank, Rupali Bank, HSBC, Sonali Bank, Citibank and the Grameen Bank. Dhaka also has the largest shopping mall in South Asia, a great economical boost for the nation. The annual per capita income of Dhaka is estimated at $2,801. The city has historically attracted a large number of migrant workers.[17] Hawkers, peddlars, small shops, rickshaws transport, roadside vendors and stalls employ a large segment of the population.[17][20] Half the workforce is employed in household and unorganised labour, while there are as many as 800,000 textile workers in the city. Unemployment remains chronically high at 23%.[21]

New urban developments have resulted in a real estate and construction boom in recent years. The main business districts of the city include Motijheel, Pantapath and Gulshan. Basundhara City is a recently developed economic area that houses many high-tech industries and corporations in telecommunications, information technology and energy. Housing and construction, the production of textiles and garments, chemicals, food and a wide variety of consumer products takes place across the city area. Tourism, hotels and restaurants are also an important element of the economy of Dhaka. The Sadarghat Port area is a major dock area on the Buriganga River serving the transportation of goods and passengers from neighbouring areas. In recent years, Dhaka has benefited from rapid growth in foreign investment and service industries, but several million people continue to suffer from poverty.[17]

See also: Economy of Bangladesh

Transport

Rush-hour traffic in Dhaka.

Cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws are the main mode of transport for the people of the city, with more than 320,000 rickshaws running each day — the largest number for any city in the world.[20] However, only about 80,000 rickshaws have been licensed.[22][17] Relatively low-cost and non-polluting, rickshaws nevertheless cause traffic congestion and have been banned from many parts of the city. Public buses are operated by the state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation as well as private operators such as Metrolink and Anik. Scooters and taxis and privately-owned automobiles are becoming increasingly popular with the city's growing middle-class. The government has overseen the replacement of two-stroke engine taxis with "Green taxis," which run on compressed natural gas.

Dhaka has as many as 1,868 kilometres of roads.[22] It is connected by highways and railway links to Chittagong, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Faridpur and Sylhet. Highway links and public bus services to Kolkata and Agartala have been established and run by the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation.[23] The Kamalapur Railway Station and the Airport (Biman Bandar) Railway Station are the main railway stations providing trains on suburban and national routes operated by the state-run Bangladesh Railway. The Zia International Airport is the largest and busiest in the nation. The state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines is the primary airline corporation based at the airport, although smaller, private carriers are gaining popularity. The Hajj Terminal of the airport conveys year-long flights to Saudi Arabia for Muslim pilgrims performing the hajj to Mecca.

See also: Transport in Bangladesh

Demographics

Baitul Mukarram (Dhaka) the National Mosque Bangladesh. The structure resembles the Kaaba in Mecca

The population of the Dhaka city stands at 6 million but the wider metropolitan area is estimated at 9.3 million. The population is growing by an estimated 4.2% per annum, one of the highest rates amongst Asian cities.[17] The continuing growth reflects ongoing migration from rural areas to the Dhaka urban region, which accounted for 60% of the city's growth in the 1960s and 1970s, but more recently the city's population has also grown as a result of the expansion of its administrative boundaries, a process that added more than a million people to the city in the 1980s.[17] The population literacy rate is estimated at 62.3%.[13] The inhabitants of the old city are known as Kuttis and have a distinctive dialect and culture. A vast majority of the people of Dhaka are Bengalis from regions such as Khulna, Sylhet, Chittagong and people who migrated from West Bengal in 1947. Communities of the Rohingya, Santal, Khasi, Garo, Chakma and Mandi tribal peoples number between 10,000 to 20,000.[24]

Almost all residents of Dhaka speak Bangla, the national language. Many distinctive Bangla dialects and regional languages such as Chittagonian, Sylheti and Assamese are also commonly spoken and used. English is also spoken by a large segment of the population, especially for business purposes. Urdu is spoken by many non-Bengali peoples. Islam is the predominant religion of Dhaka's people, with a majority belonging to the Sunni sect. There are also significant Shia and Ahmadiya communities. Hinduism is the second-largest religion and smaller communities practice Buddhism and Christianity. In the 1990s, there were many incidents of anti-Ahmadiya violence by Muslim groups. Communal violence between Muslims and Hindus has also occured on numerous occasions. While there is widespread concern over rising Islamic fundamentalism, relations between various communities remain peaceful and cordial.

See also: Demographics of Bangladesh

Culture

Bangla New Year celebration in Ramna park
Durga Puja at the Dhakeshwari Temple.

As the most populous city of the nation, life in Dhaka exemplifies Bangladeshi culture. Annual celebrations for Independence Day (March 26), Language Martyrs' Day (November 7) and Victory Day (December 16) are most prominently held across the city. Dhaka's people congregate at the Central Shaheed Minar and at the Jatiyo Smriti Soudho to celebrate the national heroes and martyrs of the liberation war. Hundreds of thousands of people observe these days with festivities, public ceremonies and rallies in public grounds. Schools and colleges organise festivals, concerts and patriotic activities.[25]

Pohela Baishakh, known as the Bengali New Year falls annually on April 14 and is popularly celebrated across the city.[25] Bangladeshi women wearing white with red linning (mostly) sarees and men in Punjabi suit cover the streets of Shahbaug, Ramna Park, and the campus of the University of Dhaka. The most popular dressing style for women are Sarees or Salwar Kameez, while men usually prefer western clothing to the traditional Lungi. Various folk bands and singers from all over the country performs at those street corners. Bangladeshi cuisine, diverse South Asian culinary traditions as well as continental cuisine are enjoyed in almost every part of the country. The Durga Puja is the most important Hindu festival of the year. Large processions of Hindus perform devotional songs, dances, prayers and ceremonies for Goddess Durga, exemplifying the best of Hindu and Bengali culture. The Muslim festivals of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha witnesses widespread celebrations, with hundreds of thousands of Muslims attending prayers in almost every city mosque.

For much of recent history, Dhaka was characterised by roadside markets and small shops that sold a wide variety of goods. Recent years have seen the widespread construction of shopping malls and multiplexes, attracting Dhaka's growing middle-class and wealthy residents. Despite the growing popularity of music groups and rock bands, traditional folk music remains widely popular. The ghazal songs of Runa Laila, the folk music of Habib Wahid and the works of the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and Rabindranath Tagore are also celebrated across Dhaka. Indian and Pakistani music and films are popular with large segments of Dhaka's population. Bangladesh Betar is the state-run, primary provider of radio services and broadcasts a variety of programming in Bangla and English. In recent years many private radio networks have been established in the city. Bangladesh Television is the state-run broadcasting network that operates numerous channels and provides a wide variety of programmes in Bangla and English. Cable and satellite networks such as ATN Bangla, RTV, ESPN, NTV and STAR TV are amongst the most popular channels. The main offices and organisations of almost every publication in Bangladesh are based in Dhaka. The Prothom Alo and The Daily Ittefaq are the most popular amongst the large number of Bangla language dailies, periodicals and other publications in the city. The Daily Star and The Independent are the largest English language dailies published in the city. Although cellular phones are gaining popularity, less than 10% of households have telephone access.[17]

See also: Culture of Bangladesh

Education

Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Building at BUET

Dhaka boasts a greater literacy rate and the largest number of schools, colleges and universities in Bangladesh. The Dhaka Education Board is responsible for governing most of the public schools in the city, with the exception of English-medium schools, international schools and madrassahs that fall out of its jurisdiction. There are also a large number of private schools, and institutions managed by foundations, charities and religious organisations. Education is mainly offered in Bangla, but English is also commonly taught and used. Madrassahs are Islamic religious schools that have gained increasingly popularity in Dhaka. The past decade has seen a rapid expansion in the number of madrassahs throughout Dhaka. A large majority of Muslim families send their children to attend part-time courses or even to pursue full-time religious education, which is imparted in Bangla and Arabic.

Since independence, Dhaka has seen the establishment of a large number of public and private colleges and universities. Most public institutions are affiliated with the Bangladesh ministry of education. Colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as a variety of doctoral programmes. The University of Dhaka is the largest public university in the nation with more than 30,000 students and 1,300 faculty staff. The university also boasts 18 research centres and 70 departments, faculties and institutes.[26] Eminent schools include the Jahangirnagar University and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, which is the premier technical university in the nation. The Dhaka Medical College and the Sir Salimullah Medical College are amongst the largest and most respected medical schools in the nation. There are a large number of trade schools, religious colleges and technical colleges providing education in textiles and leather technologies.

See also: Education in Bangladesh

Sports

Sadarghat port in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dhaka has the distinction of having hosted the first official test cricket match of the Pakistan cricket team in 1954 against India.[27] The Bangabandhu National Stadium was formerly the main venue for domestic and international cricket matches, but now exclusively hosts football matches.[27] The newly-built Fatullah Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium hosts most of the domestic and international fixtures of cricket with an audience capacity of 15,000. The Bangladesh Sports Control Board, responsible for coordinating and promoting sports activities across the nation is based in Dhaka. Dhaka also has large stadiums largely used for domestic and college cricket and football matches, such as the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (in Mirpur), the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium and the Outer Stadium Ground. The Dhaka University Ground hosts many inter-collegiate, provincial and national tournaments.[28]

A large number of Bangladeshi cricketers and football players such as Sheikh Aslam, Athar Ali Khan, Kaiser Hamid, Mohammad Ashraful, Enamul Haque Jr. and Mashrafe Mortaza hail from Dhaka. Cricket and football are arguably the two most popular sports in Dhaka and across the nation. Teams are fielded in intra-city and national competitions by a large number of schools, colleges and private entities. The Mohammedan Sports Club and Abahani are the largest and most popular football and cricket teams, maintaining a fierce rivalry. The Bangladesh cricket team's victories over Pakistan in 1999, India in 2004 and the Australian cricket team in 2005 were celebrated by tens of thousands of people who congregated on the streets of the city.[29]

See also: Sports in Bangladesh

See also

References

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  1. ^ a b "History" (PHP). 2006-09-05. Retrieved 2006-09-05. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ a b "History" (PHP). 2006-09-05. Retrieved 2006-09-05. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
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  18. ^ Richards, John. "Calcutta and Dhaka: A tale of two cities" (HTML). Inroads. Retrieved 2006-09-27.
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Further reading

  • Pryer, Jane. Poverty and Vulnerability in Dhaka Slums: The Urban Livelihood Study. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 0754618641.
  • Template:Harvard reference
  • Ahmed, Sharifuddin. Dhaka: Past, Present and Future. Dhaka, 1991.
  • Sarkar, Sir Jadunath. History of Bengal (II). Dhaka, 1948.
  • Karim, Abdul. History of Bengal, Mughal Period (I). Rajshahi, 1992.
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