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Undid revision 566714830 by Faizan (talk) The Bengali language movement is Bangladesh, Bengali nationalism is quite different, Bengal-wide (and stop shouting "get consensus")
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'''Dhaka''' ({{lang-bn|ঢাকা}} {{IPA-bn|ˈɖʱaka|pron}}; formerly spelled as Dacca<ref name="dacca">{{cite news|title=PAKISTAN: Dacca, City of the Dead|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,876963,00.html|accessdate=15 November 2011|newspaper=Time|date=3 May 1971}}</ref>) is the [[capital (political)|capital city]] of the [[Bangladesh|People's Republic of Bangladesh]]. It is a [[megacity]] and one of the major cities of [[South Asia]]. Located on the east banks of the [[Buriganga River]] in the [[Ganges delta]], Dhaka has an estimated population of more than 15 million people, making it the largest city in Bangladesh and the [[List of urban agglomerations by population (United Nations)|9th largest city in the world]].<ref>World Bank (30 July 2010). [http://siteresources.worldbank.org/BANGLADESHEXTN/Resources/295759-1271081222839/BDCAS.pdf Country Assistance Strategy for the People's Republic of Bangladesh for the Period FY11-14], page 4.</ref> It is known as the ''City of Mosques'', and with 400,000 cycle-rickshaws running on its streets every day, the city is described as the ''Rickshaw Capital of the World''. Dhaka is also one of the world's [[List of cities proper by population density|most densely populated cites]].<ref name="BangladeshStatPock2008">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbs.gov.bd/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/SubjectMatterDataIndex/pk_book_09.pdf|title=Statistical Pocket Book, 2008|publisher=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-08-15}}</ref><ref name="bbcnews1">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/2300179.stm|title=Dhaka's beleaguered rickshaw wallahs|last=Lawson |first=Alastair|date=5 October 2002|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2009-09-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dhakacity.com.bd/ |title=everything about our city |publisher=Dhaka City |accessdate=2010-05-08}}</ref>Residents of Dhaka are known as Dhakaites.{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{For|other uses|Dhaka (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{stack begin}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See the Table at Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage -->
<!-- Basic info -------------->
|official_name = Dhaka
|native_name = {{lang|bn|ঢাকা}}
|nickname =
|settlement_type = [[List of national capitals|Capital city]]
|motto =
|image_skyline =Dhaka view.jpg
|imagesize =280px
|image_caption = Skyline of Dhaka
|map_caption = Location of Dhaka in [[Bangladesh]]
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|pushpin_map = Bangladesh <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
|pushpin_label_position = center
|pushpin_map_caption = Location of Dhaka in [[Bangladesh]]
|pushpin_mapsize =280
<!-- Location ------------------>
|coordinates_display = inline,title
|coordinates_region = BD
|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Bangladesh}}
|subdivision_type1 = [[Divisions of Bangladesh|Division]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Dhaka Division]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Bangladesh|District]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Dhaka District]]
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title =
|leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1 =
|leader_title2 =
|leader_name2 =
|leader_title3 =
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|leader_title4 =
|leader_name4 =
|established_title = Establishment
|established_date = 1608 [[Common Era|CE]]
|established_title2 = Granted city status
|established_date2 = 1947
|established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3 =
<!-- Area --------------------->
|area_magnitude =
|unit_pref =Metric <!-- Enter: Metric, if Metric (imperial) is desired -->
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 = 360
|area_total_sq_mi =
|area_land_km2 = <!-- See table @ Template:Infobox settlement for details on automatic unit conversion -->
|area_water_km2 = 48.56
|area_total_sq_mi =
|area_land_sq_mi =
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|area_blank1_title =
|area_blank1_km2 =
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<!-- Population ----------------------->
|population_as_of =2013|population_footnotes =<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/pictures/edgl45fdlj/no-1-dhaka-bangladesh |title=No. 1: Dhaka, Bangladesh - In Photos: The World's Densest Megacities |publisher=Forbes |date= |accessdate=2013-06-22}}</ref>
|population_total = 14,399,000
|population_metro = 7,000,940(2008)
|population_density_sq_mi = 115,200
|population_density_km2 = 45,000
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
|population_urban =
|population_density_urban_km2 =
|population_density_urban_sq_mi =
|population_blank1_title = [[Demonym]]
|population_blank1_footnotes =<ref>[http://www.newgeography.com/content/003004-evolving-urban-form-dhaka].</ref>
|population_blank2_title = [[Literacy rate]]
|population_blank2 = 62.3%
|population_density_blank1_km2 =
|population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
<!-- General information --------------->
|timezone = [[Bangladesh Standard Time|BST]]
|utc_offset = +6
|latd=23 |latm=42 |lats=0 |latNS=N
|longd=90 |longm=22 |longs=30 |longEW=E
|elevation_footnotes =<ref name="Elevation of Dhaka">{{cite web|url=http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/maps/map_city_dhaka.html|title=Dhaka, Bangladesh Map|work=National Geographic|accessdate=2009-09-06}}</ref>
|elevation_m = 4
|elevation_ft = 13.12
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type = [[Postal code]]
|postal_code = 1000, 1100, 12xx, 13xx
|area_code =
|blank_name = National calling code
|blank_info = +880
|blank1_name = [[Telephone numbers in Bangladesh|Calling code]]
|blank1_info = 02
|blank2_name = [[Gross domestic product|GDP PPP]] (2008)
|blank2_info = $78 billion<ref name="PricewaterhouseCoopers">http://www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/imagelibrary/downloadMedia.ashx?MediaDetailsID=1562</ref>
|website = [http://www.dhakacity.org/ Official Dhaka Web site]
|footnotes =
}}
{{stack end}}
{{Contains Bangla text}}
'''Dhaka''' ({{lang-bn|ঢাকা}} {{IPA-bn|ˈɖʱaka|pron}}; formerly spelled as Dacca<ref name=dacca>{{cite news|title=PAKISTAN: Dacca, City of the Dead|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,876963,00.html|accessdate=15 November 2011|newspaper=Time|date=3 May 1971}}</ref>) is the [[capital (political)|capital city]] of the [[Bangladesh|People's Republic of Bangladesh]]. It is a [[megacity]] and one of the major cities of [[South Asia]]. Located on the east banks of the [[Buriganga River]] in the [[Ganges delta]], Dhaka has an estimated population of more than 15 million people, making it the largest city in Bangladesh and the [[List of urban agglomerations by population (United Nations)|9th largest city in the world]].<ref>World Bank (30 July 2010). [http://siteresources.worldbank.org/BANGLADESHEXTN/Resources/295759-1271081222839/BDCAS.pdf Country Assistance Strategy for the People's Republic of Bangladesh for the Period FY11-14], page 4.</ref> It is known as the ''City of Mosques'', and with 400,000 cycle-rickshaws running on its streets every day, the city is described as the ''Rickshaw Capital of the World''. Dhaka is also one of the world's [[List of cities proper by population density|most densely populated cites]].<ref name="BangladeshStatPock2008">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbs.gov.bd/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/SubjectMatterDataIndex/pk_book_09.pdf|title=Statistical Pocket Book, 2008|publisher=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-08-15}}</ref><ref name="bbcnews1">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/2300179.stm|title=Dhaka's beleaguered rickshaw wallahs|last=Lawson |first=Alastair|date=5 October 2002|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2009-09-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dhakacity.com.bd/ |title=everything about our city |publisher=Dhaka City |accessdate=2010-05-08}}</ref>

[[Old Dhaka]] was founded in the 17th century as the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] capital of [[Bengal]]. It was called [[Jahangir Nagar]] (''City of [[Jahangir]]'') and served as the centre of the worldwide [[muslin|muslin trade]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Md Mashrur Rahman Mishu |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=149689 |title=Historic Dhaka city: Past glory and present crisis |publisher=Archive.thedailystar.net |date=2010-08-07 |accessdate=2013-06-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Shay |first=Christopher |url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20110815-saving-dhakas-heritage |title=Travel - Saving Dhaka’s heritage : History, Bangladesh |publisher=BBC |date=2011-08-15 |accessdate=2013-06-22}}</ref> The modern city, however, developed chiefly under [[British Raj|British rule]] in the 19th century. After the [[Partition of Bengal]] in 1905, Dhaka became the capital of the new province of [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]] but lost its status as a provincial capital again after the partition was annulled in 1911. After the [[Partition of India|partition of British India]], Dhaka became the administrative capital of [[East Pakistan]], and later, in 1971, the capital of an independent Bangladesh. During the intervening period, the city witnessed widespread turmoil; this included many impositions of [[martial law]], the declaration of Bangladesh's independence, military suppression, devastation during war, and natural calamities.
[[Old Dhaka]] was founded in the 17th century as the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] capital of [[Bengal]]. It was called [[Jahangir Nagar]] (''City of [[Jahangir]]'') and served as the centre of the worldwide [[muslin|muslin trade]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Md Mashrur Rahman Mishu |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=149689 |title=Historic Dhaka city: Past glory and present crisis |publisher=Archive.thedailystar.net |date=2010-08-07 |accessdate=2013-06-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Shay |first=Christopher |url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20110815-saving-dhakas-heritage |title=Travel - Saving Dhaka’s heritage : History, Bangladesh |publisher=BBC |date=2011-08-15 |accessdate=2013-06-22}}</ref> The modern city, however, developed chiefly under [[British Raj|British rule]] in the 19th century. After the [[Partition of Bengal]] in 1905, Dhaka became the capital of the new province of [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]] but lost its status as a provincial capital again after the partition was annulled in 1911. After the [[Partition of India|partition of British India]], Dhaka became the administrative capital of [[East Pakistan]], and later, in 1971, the capital of an independent Bangladesh. During the intervening period, the city witnessed widespread turmoil; this included many impositions of [[martial law]], the declaration of Bangladesh's independence, military suppression, devastation during war, and natural calamities.


Revision as of 06:26, 2 August 2013

Dhaka (Bengali: ঢাকা pronounced [ˈɖʱaka]; formerly spelled as Dacca[1]) is the capital city of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. It is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the east banks of the Buriganga River in the Ganges delta, Dhaka has an estimated population of more than 15 million people, making it the largest city in Bangladesh and the 9th largest city in the world.[2] It is known as the City of Mosques, and with 400,000 cycle-rickshaws running on its streets every day, the city is described as the Rickshaw Capital of the World. Dhaka is also one of the world's most densely populated cites.[3][4][5]Residents of Dhaka are known as Dhakaites. Old Dhaka was founded in the 17th century as the Mughal capital of Bengal. It was called Jahangir Nagar (City of Jahangir) and served as the centre of the worldwide muslin trade.[6][7] The modern city, however, developed chiefly under British rule in the 19th century. After the Partition of Bengal in 1905, Dhaka became the capital of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam but lost its status as a provincial capital again after the partition was annulled in 1911. After the partition of British India, Dhaka became the administrative capital of East Pakistan, and later, in 1971, the capital of an independent Bangladesh. During the intervening period, the city witnessed widespread turmoil; this included many impositions of martial law, the declaration of Bangladesh's independence, military suppression, devastation during war, and natural calamities.

Modern Dhaka is the centre of political and cultural life in Bangladesh, and serves as one of the two principal economic and industrial centers of the country, along with the southern port city of Chittagong.[8][9] The city has the most developed urban infrastructure in the country, however it suffers from chronic urban problems of poverty, pollution and overpopulation due to increasing rural-to-urban migration in Bangladesh. The city is modernizing its transport and communications, and has been attracting large volumes of foreign investments in recent years. Dhaka has also emerged as one of the fastest growing cities in the world.[10][11]

Etymology

The word Dhaka is said to refer to the Dhaka tree (Butea frondosa), once common in the area; or to Dhak (Bengali: ঢাক), a huge membranophone instrument from South Asia which was beaten by order of Subahdar Islam Khan I while inaugurating the capital in 1610.[12] The name Dhaka may also have originated from Dhakeshwari ("The Hidden Goddess"), she is the 800 years old deity of the Divine Mother, whose shrine is located in the south-western part of the city.[13] Some references also say that it was derived from a Prakrit dialect called Dhaka Bhasa; or Dhakka, used in the Rajtarangini for a watch-station; or it is the same as Davaka, mentioned in the Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta as an eastern frontier kingdom.[14]

History

Main article: History of Dhaka

Buddhist and Hindu kingdom

The existence of a settlement in the area that is now Dhaka dates from the 7th century. The small area 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.[15] The name of the city may have derived after the establishment of the Goddess Dhakeshwari's temple by Ballal Sena in the 12th century.[16] The town itself consisted of a few market centres like Lakshmi Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Patuatuli, Kumartuli, Bania Nagar and Goal Nagar. After the fall of the Sena Empire, Dhaka was successively ruled by the Sultanate of Bengal as well as interruption of governors from the Delhi Sultanate.

Mughal rule

Mughal governor Shaista Khan, one of the founders of the Old City of Dhaka
A woman clad in fine Dhaka muslin, 1700s
18th century Armenian church in Old Dhaka.

In 1576, much of Bengal came under the control of the Mughal Empire. At the time, Dhaka emerged as Mughal military base, prior to this, Chittagong was the leading city of Bengal.[17] The development of townships and housing had resulted into a significant growth in population, as the town was proclaimed the capital (Rajmahal) of Bengal under Mughal rule in 1608, during this time many mosques, forts and universities had been built and Muslims were excused from paying taxes, this allowed many Muslims from surrounding areas to swell up the town transforming it into a city, it was at this time Dhaka was known as a city rather than a town or Fort.[18][19][20] Mughal documents record subahdar Islam Khan as the first administrator of the city.[21] Islam Khan named the city "Jahangir Nagar" (شهر از جهانگیر; City of Jahangir) in honour of Emperor Jahangir, although this name was dropped soon after Jahangir's death. A major expansion of the city took place under the direction of a general Shaista Khan on orders from the Emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century.[19][20] The city then measured 19 by 13 kilometres (12 by 8 mi), with a population of nearly one million people and over a 100 universities and hundreds of mosques.[22] Mughal rule was severely weakend after the death of Aurangzeb and control of the Bengal switched hands once more, however it is noted that Mughal expansion and influences can still be seen in the region, as it was under Mughal rule that Islam came to be dominant.

British rule

The Saat Masjid on the Buriganga River banks in the 19th century

The British East India Company in 1765 gained the right to collect revenue (Diwani right) on behalf of the Mughal emperor. East India company became the imperial tax collector. As company's influence grew, East India Company later took on governing in 1793 when the Nawabs of Bengal were forced to relinquish all their authority over Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, and the city passed on to total control of East India company. The city's population shrank dramatically during this period as the prominence of Calcutta rose,[23] but substantive development and modernisation eventually followed. A modern civic water supply system was introduced in 1874 and electricity supply launched in 1878.[24][25] The Dhaka Cantonment was established near the city, serving as a base for British and Bengali soldiers.[20]

20th century

The Ahsan Manzil, one of the great mansions of Old Dhaka, was home to the Dhaka Nawab Family.
Dhaka University students taking part in the Bengali Language Movement.

During the abortive Partition of Bengal in 1905, Dhaka was declared to be the capital of the newly established state of East Bengal and Assam, but Bengal was reunited in 1911.[18][19][20] Following the Partition of India in 1947, Dhaka became the capital of East Pakistan. The city witnessed major communal violence following the partition of India.[20] A large proportion of the city's Hindu population departed for India, while the city received a large influx of Muslims. As the centre of regional politics, however, Dhaka saw an increasing number of political strikes and incidents of violence.[20] The adoption of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan led to protest marches involving large crowds. Known as the Bengali Language Movement, the protests resulted in Pakistani police firing which killed a number of peaceful student demonstrators.[26] Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Dhaka remained a hotbed of political activity, and the demands for autonomy for the Bengali population. And this population gradually gained momentum.[27]

The 1970 Bhola cyclone devastated much of the region, killed an estimated 500,000 people.[28] More than half the city was flooded and millions of people were marooned.[29] With public anger growing against ethnic discrimination and poor cyclone relief efforts from the central government, Bengali politician Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman held a nationalist gathering on 7 March 1971 at Ramna Racecourse.[20][26] An estimated one million people attended the gathering, leading to the 26 March declaration of Bangladesh's independence.[26] In response, the Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight, which led to the arrests, torture and killing of thousands of people.[30] After nine months of bloody battle with Indian Army and Mitra Bahini, the Pakistani Army surrendered to the Joint Forces on 16 December marking the end of the independence war of Bangladesh.[31] As the nation's capital, Dhaka saw a rapid and huge growth of the city population in the post-independence period, as migrant workers from rural areas across Bangladesh moved to the city.[32] The growth of commerce and industry along with the city's population has created further challenges to the services and infrastructure.[33] A real estate boom has followed the expansion of city limits and the development of new settlements such as Uttara,Baridhara, Mirpur and Motijheel.[34]

21st century

Geography

Astronaut View of Dhaka
See also: Geography of Bangladesh

Dhaka is located in central Bangladesh at 23°42′0″N 90°22′30″E / 23.70000°N 90.37500°E / 23.70000; 90.37500, on the eastern banks of the Buriganga River. The city lies on the lower reaches of the Ganges Delta and covers a total area of 360 square kilometres (140 sq mi).[35] It consists of 41 thanas – Lalbagh, Kotwali, Hazaribagh, Sutrapur, Ramna, Motijheel, Paltan, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Tejgaon, Gulshan, Mirpur, Pallabi, Shah Ali, Turaag, Sabujbagh, Dhaka Cantonment, Demra, Shyampur, Badda, Kafrul, Kamrangir char, Khilgaon, Uttara etc. In total the city has 130 wards and 725 mohallas.[36] Dhaka District has an area of 1,463.60 square kilometres (565 sq mi) with a population of 18,305,671 in 2012; and is bounded by the districts of Gazipur, Tangail, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Narayanganj, Manikganj.[36] Tropical vegetation and moist soils characterize the land, which is flat and close to sea level. This leaves Dhaka susceptible to flooding during the monsoon seasons owing to heavy rainfall and cyclones.[37]

Climate

Main article: Climate of Dhaka

Dhaka experiences a hot, wet and humid tropical climate. Under the Köppen climate classification, Dhaka has a tropical savanna climate. The city has a distinct monsoonal season, with an annual average temperature of 25 °C (77 °F) and monthly means varying between 18 °C (64 °F) in January and 32 °C (90 °F) in May.[38] Approximately 87% of the annual average rainfall of 2,123 millimeters (83.5 in) occurs between May and October.[38] Increasing air and water pollution emanating from traffic congestion and industrial waste are serious problems affecting public health and the quality of life in the city.[39] Water bodies and wetlands around Dhaka are facing destruction as these are being filled up to construct multi-storied buildings and other real estate developments. Coupled with pollution, such erosion of natural habitats threatens to destroy much of the regional biodiversity.[39]

Climate data for Dhaka
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 31.1
(88.0) 		34.4
(93.9) 		40.6
(105.1) 		42.2
(108.0) 		41.1
(106.0) 		36.7
(98.1) 		35.0
(95.0) 		36.1
(97.0) 		36.7
(98.1) 		37.2
(99.0) 		34.4
(93.9) 		30.6
(87.1) 		42.2
(108.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 25.4
(77.7) 		28.1
(82.6) 		32.5
(90.5) 		33.7
(92.7) 		32.9
(91.2) 		32.1
(89.8) 		31.4
(88.5) 		31.6
(88.9) 		31.6
(88.9) 		31.6
(88.9) 		29.6
(85.3) 		26.4
(79.5) 		30.6
(87.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 19.1
(66.4) 		21.8
(71.2) 		26.5
(79.7) 		28.7
(83.7) 		28.7
(83.7) 		29.1
(84.4) 		28.8
(83.8) 		29.0
(84.2) 		28.8
(83.8) 		27.7
(81.9) 		24.4
(75.9) 		20.3
(68.5) 		26.1
(79.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 12.7
(54.9) 		15.5
(59.9) 		20.4
(68.7) 		23.6
(74.5) 		24.5
(76.1) 		26.1
(79.0) 		26.2
(79.2) 		26.3
(79.3) 		25.9
(78.6) 		23.8
(74.8) 		19.2
(66.6) 		14.1
(57.4) 		21.5
(70.7)
Record low °C (°F) 6.1
(43.0) 		6.7
(44.1) 		10.6
(51.1) 		16.7
(62.1) 		14.4
(57.9) 		19.4
(66.9) 		21.1
(70.0) 		21.7
(71.1) 		21.1
(70.0) 		17.2
(63.0) 		11.1
(52.0) 		7.2
(45.0) 		6.1
(43.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 7.7
(0.30) 		28.9
(1.14) 		65.8
(2.59) 		156.3
(6.15) 		339.4
(13.36) 		340.4
(13.40) 		373.1
(14.69) 		316.5
(12.46) 		300.4
(11.83) 		172.3
(6.78) 		34.4
(1.35) 		12.8
(0.50) 		2,148
(84.57)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 1 1 3 6 11 16 12 16 12 7 1 0 86
Average relative humidity (%) 46 37 38 42 59 72 72 74 71 65 53 50 57
Mean monthly sunshine hours 279 226 217 180 155 90 62 62 90 186 240 279 2,066
Source 1: Weatherbase (normals, 30 yr period)[40]
Source 2: Sistema de Clasificación Bioclimática Mundial (extremes),[41] BBC Weather (humidity and sun)[42]

Parks and lakes

Lake and Ramna Park shoreline
File:Cresent lake at night.jpg
Crescent Lake at night

There are many parks within Dhaka city, including Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, Shishu Park, National Botanical Garden, Baldha Garden, Chandrima Uddan, Gulshan Park and Dhaka Zoo. There are lakes within city, such as Crescent lake, Dhanmondi lake, Baridhara-Gulshan lake, Banani lake, Uttara lake and Hatirjheel-Begunbari lake.

Hatirjheel-Begunbari is a new place of recreation for city dwellers. Hatirjheel covering 320 acres is transformed into a place of festivity at night but with serenity settling down. Colorful lights illuminating the wide expanse of concrete structures, lake and waterfronts would take anyone to a world of fantasy. No wonder that within a few days since its inauguration on January 2 it has become a popular spot for city dwellers, who search for peace and beauty in their never-ending struggle in the concrete jungle of Dhaka. Hatirjheel seems to be a picture of Dhaka we could dream of. It is indeed a small piece of the capital that stood aloof from the rest. The sight of its jam-free express roads, uncluttered footpaths, modern bridges, walkways along a lake stretching as far as our eyes can see would compel us to forget the city we hear, see and experience every day. The construction of a theater, park, garden and some other beautification projects has not yet been finished. Once the project is fully functional, the facilities would include an information centre, celebration point, viewing decks, benches at different points, game equipment for children, water taxi terminals and footbridges. Consultants from Civil Engineering Department of BUET and engineers of SWO of Bangladesh Army, Roads and Highways Department, Local Government Engineering Department and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha have worked hard to turn this project into reality.

Civil administration

Dhaka panorama at night

The Dhaka municipality was founded on 1 August 1864, and upgraded to "corporation" status in 1978.[43] The Dhaka City Corporation is a self-governing corporation which runs the affairs of the city. Recently(i.e. 2011), Dhaka City Corporation has been divided into two administrative parts – these are (1) Dhaka City Corporation-North and (2) Dhaka City Corporation-South – for ensuring better civic facilities. These two corporations are headed by two administrators. The incorporated area is divided into several wards, which have elected commissioners. The Dhaka Education Board is responsible for administering all public schools and most private schools with the exception of English-medium schools and madrassahs.[44][45] All madrassahs in Bangladesh are governed by a central board while English-medium schools are under separate educational and governance structures.[46]

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was established in 1976 and has 6,000 personnel in 12 police stations.[47] With the rapid growth of the city, the force has been raised to 23,000 personnel and the establishment of 41 police stations has been completed and the creation of another 10 police stations is underway.[48]

Night view of the National Parliament
South face of the Hoseni Dalan

The city is divided into 25 (i.e. 2011) 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. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Dhaka High Court are located in the city. 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.[49] The Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban, designed by renowned architect Louis Kahn,[26] houses the unicameral national parliament. The Baitul Mukarram, developed with a design resembling the Kaaba of Mecca, is the national mosque.[50] Other historical monuments in the city include the Bara Katra palace, the Lalbagh Fort, the Hoseni Dalan and the Ahsan Manzil.[51]

To fight rising traffic congestion and population, the national government has recently implemented a policy for rapid urbanization of surrounding areas and beyond by the introduction of a ten-year relief on income tax for new construction of facilities and buildings outside Dhaka.[52]

Water management

Main article: Water management in Dhaka

Aside from Chittagong, Dhaka has a water-borne sewage system, but this serves only 22% of the population while another 30% are served with septic tanks.[53] Only two-thirds of households in Dhaka are served by the city water supply system. More than 9.7 million tons of solid wastes are produced in Dhaka city each year. While private and government efforts have succeeded in collecting refuse city-wide and using it as manure, most solid wastes are often dumped untreated in nearby low-lying areas and water bodies.[54] The utility in charge of water and sanitation in Dhaka, DWASA, addresses these challenges with a number of measures. It says that in 2011 it achieved a continuous water supply 24 hours per day 7 days a week, an increase in revenues so that operating costs are more than covered, and a reduction of water losses from 53% in 2003 to 29% in 2010.[55] For these achievements DWASA, got a "Performer of the Year Award" at the Global Water Summit 2011 in Berlin.[56] In the future DWASA plans massive investment to replace dwindling groundwater resources with treated surface water from less polluted rivers located up to 160 km from the city.[55] In 2011 Bangladesh's capital development authority, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, made rainwater harvesting for new houses mandatory in an effort to address water scarcity and reduce flooding.

82% of the city's water supply is abstracted from groundwater through 577 deep tube wells, while four relatively small surface water treatment plants provide the remaining 18%.[57] Groundwater levels are dropping at two to three metres every year. The city's water table has sunk by 50 metres in the past four decades and the closest underground water is now over 60 metres below ground level.[58][59] The Asian Development Bank estimated in 2007 that by 2015 a severe supply shortage would occur if the utility did not reduce groundwater abstraction.[60] Nevertheless, DWASA announced in 2012 that it will develop a new wellfield with 46 wells providing 150,000 cubic metres of water per day at a cost of 63 million USD, of which 45 million USD will be financed by the government of South Korea.[61]

The utility plans to substitute surface water for groundwater through the construction of four large water treatment plants until 2020 at a cost of 1.8 billion USD (Saidabad Phase II and III, Padma/Pagla and Khilkhet). The treatment plants will draw water from more distant and less polluted rivers up to 160 km from the city. The four plants are expected to have a combined capacity of 1.63 million cubic metres per year, compared to a 2010 supply of 2.11 million cubic metre per year that is mainly from groundwater. As of 2011, funding had been secured for the first plant which is under construction thanks to a 250 million USD contribution from Danish development assistance.[55] In 2012 the government signed a contract with a Chinese company to build a water treatment plant at Munshiganj on the Padma River. The project costs 407 million USD, of which 290.8 million USD is financed by a soft loan from the Chinese government, the remainder coming from the Bangladeshi government.[62]

Economy

See also: Economy of Bangladesh
File:Bangladesh bank.jpg
Bangladesh Bank Building at Motijheel
City Centre Bangladesh is one of the tallest buildings in Dhaka.

Dhaka is the commercial heart of Bangladesh.[63] The city has a growing middle class population, driving the market for modern consumer and luxury goods.[19][64] The city has historically attracted a large number of migrant workers.[65] Hawkers, peddlers, small shops, rickshaw transport, roadside vendors and stalls employ a large segment of the population[65][66] — rickshaw-drivers alone number as many as 400,000.[67] Half the workforce is employed in household and unorganised labour, while about 800,000 work in the textile industry. Even so, unemployment remains high at 19%.[68] As of 2009, Dhaka's Gross Municipal Product (GMP) is registered at $85 billion.[69] With an annual growth rate of 6.2%, the GMP is projected to rise to $215 billion by 2025.[69] The annual per capita income of Dhaka is estimated at $1,350(USD), with 34% of households living below the poverty line,[70] including a large segment of the population coming from rural areas in search of employment,[64] with most surviving on less than $5 a day.[71]

Karwan Bazar

The main commercial areas of the city include Motijheel, Dilkusha, Paltan, New Market, Shahbag, Gulshan, Mohakhali, Karwan Bazar and Farmgate, while Tejgaon and Hazaribagh are the major industrial areas.[72] Bashundhara-Baridhara is a developing economic area that will include high-tech industries, corporations and a large shopping precinct in about 5 years.[64] The Export Processing Zone in Dhaka was set up to encourage the export of garments, textiles and other goods. Dhaka has two EPZs. They are home to 413 industries, which employ mostly women.[73] The Dhaka Stock Exchange is based in the city, including many large multinationals and BRAC are based in Dhaka.[74] Country's central bank Bangladesh Bank and Nobel Peace Prize winning organization Grameen Bank have their head-quarters in Dhaka.[75] Urban developments have sparked a widespread construction boom; new high-rise buildings and skyscrapers have changed the city landscape.[64] Growth has been especially strong in the finance, banking, manufacturing, telecommunications and services sectors, while tourism, hotels and restaurants continue as important elements in the economy of Dhaka.[65]

Demographics

See also: Demographics of Bangladesh
File:Dhaka.ogg
Animation showing urban growth in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 1972 to 2001. The animation starts with a global view over India using Terra-MODIS 30 km. true colour data. The animation then zooms down to Terra-MODIS 1 km. data over Bangladesh, and dissolves into the 28 December 1972, Landsat-1-MSS data of Dhaka. Dhaka can then be seen growing to its present day size by first showing the 13 February 1989 Landsat-5-TM image which then dissolves into the final 29 January 2001 Landsat-7-ETM+ image.[76]

The population of Dhaka (areas under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka city corporation) stands at approximately 7.0 million. The city, in combination with localities forming the wider metropolitan area, is home to over 15 million as of 2013.[77] The population is growing by an estimated 4.2% per year, one of the highest rates amongst Asian cities.[65] 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. More recently, the city's population has also grown with the expansion of city boundaries, a process that added more than a million people to the city in the 1980s.[65] According to Far Eastern Economic Review, Dhaka will become a home of 25 million people by the year 2025.[78]

The literacy rate in Dhaka is also increasing fairly quickly. It was estimated at 62.3% in 2001. The literacy rate had gone up to 72.7% by 2010 which is significantly higher than the national average of 56.5%.[36]

The city population is composed of people from virtually every region of Bangladesh. The long-standing inhabitants of the old city are known as Dhakaiya and have a distinctive dialect and culture. Between 15,000 to 20,000 of the Rohingya, Santal, Khasi, Garo, Chakma and Mandi tribal peoples reside in the city.[79] Dhaka also has a large population of Chinese, Korean, Indian, Burmese and Nepali expatriates working in different industries, students on SAARC scholarship and volunteer work.

Most residents of Dhaka speak Bengali, the national language. Many distinctive Bengali dialects and regional languages such as Chittagonian and Sylheti are also spoken by segments of the population. English is understood by a large segment of the population, especially for business purposes. There is a minority Urdu-speaking population, who are descendants of displaced Muslims from eastern India during 1947 and sought refuge in East Pakistan. The correct population is ambiguous; although official figures estimate at least 40,000 residents,[80] it is estimated that there are at least 300,000 Urdu-speakers in all of Bangladesh, mostly residing in refugee camps in Dhaka.[81][82]

Islam is the dominant religion of Dhaka's people. About 90% of the city practicing the faith of Islam; with a majority belonging to the Sunni sect. There is also a small Shia sect, and an Ahmadiya community. Hinduism is the second-largest religion, with about 9%, and smaller communities practice Buddhism and Christianity, both of about 0.5% each.

Dhaka skyline

Culture

See also: Culture of Bangladesh
Shaheed Minar, or the Martyr's monument, located near the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

As Dhaka is the most populous city of Bangladesh, it has a vibrant cultural life. For much of recent history, Dhaka was characterised by roadside markets and small shops that sold a wide variety of goods.[83] Recent years have seen the widespread construction of shopping malls, multiplexes, hotels and restaurants attracting Dhaka's growing middle class and wealthy residents.[84]

Festivals

Annual events and celebrations of Independence Day (26 March), Language Martyrs' Day (21 February), Victory Day (16 December), Bengali New Year (14 April), Ekushey Book Fair (month of February), the Muslim festivals of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha, and the Hindu festivals including the Durga Puja and Kali Puja feature prominently in the city's cultural observances, events, and celebrations. Dhaka's people congregate at the Shaheed Minar and the Jatiyo Smriti Soudho to remember the national heroes of the Bengali Language Movement and the Bangladesh Liberation War. These occasions are observed with public ceremonies and rallies on public grounds. Many schools and colleges organise fairs, festivals and concerts in which citizens from all levels of society participate.[85]

Pohela Baishakh or Bengal New Year celebrations in the city.

Pohela Baishakh, the Bengali New Year, falls annually on 14 April and is popularly celebrated across the city.[85] Large crowds of people gather on the streets of Shahbag, Ramna Park and the campus of the University of Dhaka for celebrations. The Muslim festivals of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha witness widespread celebrations across the whole city.

Performing arts and media

See also: Music of Bangladesh and Media of Bangladesh
File:Kazi nazrul islam.jpg
Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is the national poet of Bangladesh.

Despite the growing popularity of music groups and rock bands, traditional folk music remains widely popular.[86] The works of the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and national anthem writer Rabindranath Tagore have a widespread following across Dhaka.[87] The Baily Road area is known as Natak Para (Theatre Neighbourhood) which is the centre of Dhaka's thriving theatre movement.[88] Indian and Western music and films are popular with large segments of Dhaka's population.[89]

Bangladesh Betar is the state-run primary provider of radio services, and broadcasts a variety of programming in Bengali and English. In recent years many private radio networks, especially FM radio services, have been established in the city such as Radio Foorti FM 88.0, Radio Today FM 89.6, Radio Amar FM 88.4, ABC Radio FM 89.2, DHAKA FM 90.4 etc. Bangladesh Television is the state-run broadcasting network that provides a wide variety of programmes in Bengali and English. Cable and satellite networks such as Ekushey Television, Channel I, ATN Bangla, Desh TV, RTV, NTV, Banglavision, Channel 9 Bangladesh and Independent TV are amongst the most popular channels. The main offices of most publishing houses in Bangladesh are based in Dhaka. The Prothom Alo and The Daily Ittefaq are the most popular amongst the large number of Bengali language dailies, periodicals and other publications in the city. The Daily Star and The Independent are the major English dailies published.[90] The telephone concentration in Bangladesh is estimated at around 50% and this is much higher in Dhaka.[91]

Cuisine

See also: Cuisine of Bangladesh

Along with Bangladeshi cuisine and South Asian variants, a large variety of Western and Chinese cuisine is served at numerous restaurants and eateries.[64] Though restaurants offering multinational cuisine and the international fast-food and hotel chains have opened up in the city, unique Dhakaiya delicacies like Glassey, Hajir Biriyani (Haji's Biriyani), Nanna Biriyani, Laban, Borhani etc. are still very popular amongst Dhakaiyas. These delicacies are even offered to state guests. Dhakaiya Bakarkhani is the traditional food/snack of the people of Old Dhaka. It is famous for its quality and taste and it was highly praised by the royal court of the Mughal Empire in Delhi.[92]

Shopping

See also: List of shopping malls in Bangladesh

Shopping in Dhaka is very easy. There are markets in almost every part of Dhaka, where household commodities are available. Shopping malls are also found in every major avenues; some of them are Dhaka New Market, Basundhara City, Rapa plaza, Metro Shopping mall, Concord Twin Tower, BCS Computer City, Navana Tower, Pink city shopping mall, Mouchak Market, Eastern Plaza, Fortune mall, Eastern plus, Banga Bazar, Razdhani market, Gausia complex, Holland Centre, Suvastu Nazar Valley, Cofidence Tower, Mollah tower, Lutfun tower, Eastern Mallika, Muskut plaza, North Tower, Razlaksmi complex, Multiplan Center and many more. Kudrat E Khuda Avenue (former New Elephant Road), and its surrounding areas are very popular destination for shoppers. Jamuna Future Park is one of biggest shopping mall in the world with 4 million square feet shopping area. Chain shops like Shopno, Agora, Meena Bazar, Nandon, PQS are also found in most of the residential areas of the city. There are many branches of Aarong around the city where local products including clothings, handicrafts, groceries and home decors are available in a wide range.

Banga Bazar is the largest hawkers market in Dhaka. The market is situated near Chankharpul behind the campus of the University of Dhaka. This place is famous for years for garment’s cloths in a reasonable price. It is a favourite shopping place for many foreigners visiting Bangladesh.

Dress

The most popular dressing style for women are shari or shælwar kamij, while men usually prefer western clothing to the traditional lungi. This area is also credited for the revival of the Jamdani due to the many local saree stores selling and promoting these locally hand-made age old traditional Bengali sarees. Jamdanis are 100% hand weaved and originate from the Persian and Mughal era. Jamdanis are produced by a traditional high quality cottage industry, which is slowly dying out due to the slow production process. A single medium range Jamdani saree may take as long as 3 months to complete.[93]

Education

See also: Education in Bangladesh
Curzon Hall of the University of Dhaka. The university served as the prime center for political activism amongst the youth and intellectuals during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Dhaka has the largest number of schools, colleges and universities of any Bangladeshi city. The education system is divided into 5 levels: Primary (from grades 1 to 5), Junior (from grades 6 to 8), Secondary (from grades 9 to 10), Higher Secondary (from grades 11 to 12) and tertiary.[94] The five years of Primary education concludes with a Primary Education Completion (PEC) Examination, the three years of Junior education concludes with Junior School Certificate (JSC) Examination, and next two years of Secondary education concludes with a Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Examination. Students who pass this examination proceed to two years of Higher Secondary or intermediate training, which culminate in a Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) Examination.[94] Education is mainly offered in Bangla, but English is also widely taught and used. A large number of Muslim families send their children to attend part-time courses or even to pursue full-time religious education alongside other subjects, which is imparted in Bangla and Arabic in schools, colleges and madrasas.[94]

Civil Engineering building at BUET

There are 52 universities in Dhaka. The Dhaka College is the oldest institution of higher education in the city and amongst the earliest established in British India, founded in 1841. Since independence, Dhaka has seen the establishment of a large number of public and private colleges and universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as a variety of doctoral programmes.[95] The University of Dhaka is one of the largest public university[96] in the nation with more than 30,000 students and 1,300 faculty staff. It was established in 1921 being the first university in the region. The university has 23 research centres and 70 departments, faculties and institutes.[97] Eminent seats of higher education include Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Jagannath University and Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Dhaka Medical College and Sir Salimullah Medical College are two famous medical colleges in the nation.[98] Dhaka's college campuses are often hotbeds of political conflicts.[99] Protests and strikes, and violence amongst police, students and political groups frequently disrupt public university campuses.[100][101]

Alongside public institutes of higher education there are some forty-five private universities in Dhaka. Notable private universities include East West University, North South University, American International University - Bangladesh, BRAC University, United International University, Daffodil International University, World University of Bangladesh, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology and Independent University, Bangladesh (see:List of universities in Bangladesh), most of which are located in Mohakhali, Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Bashundhara, Uttara and Dhanmondi areas of the city.

The British Council plays an important role helping students to achieve GCSE and A Level qualifications from examination boards in the United Kingdom. This is in addition to holding several examinations for professional bodies in the United Kingdom, including the UK medical Royal Colleges and Accountancy.

Sports

A view of Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium from South Gallery

Cricket and football are the two most popular sports in Dhaka and across the nation.[102] 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 two of the most famous football and cricket teams, maintaining a fierce rivalry, specially in Bangladesh Premier League (football).[103] Dhaka Metropolis cricket team represents Dhaka city in National Cricket League, a region based domestic first-class cricket competition in Bangladesh. In domestic Twenty20 cricket, Dhaka has a Bangladesh Premier League franchise known as Dhaka Gladiators.

Dhaka has the distinction of having hosted the first official Test cricket match of the Pakistan cricket team in 1954 against India.[104] The Bangabandhu National Stadium was formerly the main venue for domestic and international cricket matches, but now exclusively hosts football matches.[104] It was the host for the opening ceremony[105] of the 2011 Cricket World Cup while the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium hosted 6 matches of the tournament including 2 quarterfinals.[106] Dhaka also hosted South Asian Games for three times in 1985, 1993 and 2010.[107] Dhaka is the first city to hold the games three times. The Bangabandhu National Stadium was the main venue for all three editions.[108]

The Bangladesh Sports Control Board, responsible for promoting sports activities across the nation is based in Dhaka. Dhaka also has stadiums largely used for domestic events such as the Bangladesh Army Stadium, the Bir Sherestha Shaheed Shipahi Mostafa Kamal Stadium, the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium and the Outer Stadium Ground.[109] The Dhaka University Ground and The BUET Sports Ground host many intercollegiate tournaments.[110] They are also used as practice ground by different football clubs and visiting foreign national sides.

Transport

See also: Transport in Bangladesh
CNG Auto rickshaws in Dhaka

Dhaka is known as the rickshaw capital of the world.[111][112][113] Approximately 400,000 rickshaws run each day.[114] Cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws are the main mode of transport, with close to 400,000 rickshaws running each day – the largest number for any city in the world.[64][66] However, only about 85,000 rickshaws are licensed by the city government.[65][115] Relatively low-cost and non-polluting cycle 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 (BRTC) and by private companies and operators.

Kamalapur Railway Station

Scooters, taxis and privately owned automobiles are rapidly becoming popular with the city's growing middle class. The government has overseen the replacement of two-stroke engine auto rickshaws with "Green auto-rickshaws" locally called CNG auto-rickshaw or Baby-taxi, which run on compressed natural gas.[116] Taxis plying in the Dhaka roads are of two types. Yellow taxis have slightly higher standards in terms of comfort but are more expensive. They are required to have air conditioning; the fleet consists mostly of Toyota Corollas. Blue and black taxis are cheaper and lack air conditioning; the fleet consists mostly of Maruti 800. As of April 2013, some 2,000-2,500 taxis of 11,260 registered ones were operating in the capital.[117] The Government decided to import 5,000 new taxis with the engine capacity of 1,500cc. The government also plans to raise the total number of taxis to 18,000 gradually.[117]

As of 1986, Dhaka has 1,868 kilometres (1,161 mi) of paved roads.[118] It is connected to the other parts of the country through highway and railway links. Highway links to the Indian cities of Kolkata and Agartala have been established by the BRTC which also runs regular bus services to those cities from Dhaka.[119]

The Kamalapur Railway Station, Airport (Biman Bandar) Railway Station and the Cantonment Railway Station are the main railway stations providing trains on suburban and national routes operated by the state-run Bangladesh Railway.[120] Bangladesh Railway also runs a regular international train service between Dhaka and Kolkata. Since April 2013, Bangladesh Railway has been operating commuter rail service in suburban areas as well as to neighboring Narayanganj city using DEMU trains.[121]

The Sadarghat Port on the banks of the Buriganga River serves for the transport of goods and passengers upriver and to other ports in Bangladesh.[122]

Shahjalal International Airport
Steamers moving in the Sadarghat Port

The Shahjalal International Airport, located 15 km north of Dhaka city centre, is the largest and busiest airport in the nation.[123] It handles 52% of the country's arrivals and departures. Domestic service flies to Chittagong, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Cox's Bazar, Jessore, Barisal, Saidpur and international services fly to major cities in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Western Europe.[124][125]

An elevated expressway system is under construction.[126] The Dhaka Elevated Expressway would run from Shahjalal International Airport-Kuril-Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Saatrasta-Moghbazar Rail Crossing-Khilgaon-Kamalapur-Golapbagh to Dhaka-Chittagong Highway at Kutubkhali Point. A longer second elevated expressway from Airport-Ashulia is currently undergoing feasibility study.[127]

The Dhaka Metro feasibility study has been completed. A 21.5 kilometer, $1.7 Billion Phase 1, metro route is being negotiated by the Government with Japan International Cooperation Agency. The first route will start from Pallabi, northern suburb of Dhaka to Sayedabad, southern section of Dhaka.[128]

Media and communications

Further information: Telecommunications in Bangladesh
See also: List of Bangladeshi television and radio channels
  • Postal service: The Bangladeshi postal service, commonly known as Bangladesh Post Office, headquartered in Dhaka, is responsible for providing postal service throughout the country.[129]

Sister cities

Country City State / Region
China China Guangzhou Guangdong Province
India India Kolkata West Bengal

See also

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http://diaryfrombangladesh.com/

Further reading

  • Sharuf Uddin Ahmed, ed. (1991). Dhaka -past present future. The Asiatic Society, Dhaka. ISBN 984-512-335-X.
  • Karim, Abdul (1992). History of Bengal, Mughal Period (I). Rajshahi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Pryer, Jane (2003). Poverty and Vulnerability in Dhaka Slums: The Urban Livelihood Study. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 0-7546-1864-1. OCLC 123337526 OCLC 243482310 OCLC 50334244 OCLC 50939515.
  • Rabbani, Golam (1997). Dhaka, from Mughal outpost to metropolis. University Press, Dhaka. ISBN 984-05-1374-5.
  • Sarkar, Sir Jadunath (1948). History of Bengal (II). Dhaka.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Taifoor, S.M. (1956). Glimpses of Old Dacca. Dhaka.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

Dhaka travel guide from Wikivoyage

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