Dhaka
The name Dhaka remains a puzzle of uncertain roots. Some historians trace it to the dhak tree, which once grew thickly across the region. Others point to Dhakeshwari, the patron Hindu goddess worshipped by early inhabitants. A popular theory suggests the word comes from a membranophone instrument called dhak. This drum was played during the inauguration of the Bengal capital in 1610 under Subahdar Islam Khan I. Ancient texts like Rajtarangini refer to the area as Dhakka, meaning watchtower. The Kashmiri Brahman Kalhana wrote about this watch station guarding the eastern frontier. Earlier capitals such as Bikrampur and Sonargaon sat nearby. These strongholds served as defensive positions before the Mughals chose this location for their new administrative center.
Emperor Jahangir established Dhaka as the provincial capital of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa in 1610. The city flourished as the hub of the muslin trade throughout the seventeenth century. English merchant Thomas Bowrey visited between 1669 and 1670 and estimated the population at 900,000 people. He described the circuit of the city as forty miles wide. Governor Shaista Khan ruled from 1644 to 1688 and oversaw massive urban expansion. Rice sold for eight maunds per rupee during his administration. The city became known as the Venice of the East due to its extensive waterways and gardens. Prince Azam Shah began construction on Lalbagh Fort in 1678. The fort remained unfinished after the death of his daughter Pari Bibi. Her tomb sits in the center of the structure today. Caravanserai buildings like Bara Katra housed wealthy merchants and governors. The port handled riverine and maritime commerce connecting Eurasia to South Asia.
British rule brought economic hardship to Dhaka in the early nineteenth century. A seventy-five percent tax on cotton exports destroyed the local textile industry. Bengali weavers went out of business while cheap British fabrics flooded the market. An Anglican bishop described the city as a place of magnificent ruins by 1824. Population estimates dropped to around three hundred thousand by the 1840s. The situation changed with the partition of Bengal in 1905. Lord Curzon restored Dhaka's status as a regional capital for Eastern Bengal and Assam. Lieutenant Governors Sir Bampfylde Fuller, Sir Lancelot Hare, and Sir Charles Stuart Bayley governed from the city between 1905 and 1912. Their names now grace major thoroughfares including Hare Road, Bayley Road, and Fuller Road. The High Court and Curzon Hall were constructed during this revival period. The University of Dhaka opened in 1921 and became known as the Oxford of the East. Students lived in residential halls similar to the English model until after 1947. The city hosted diverse communities including Armenians, Jews, and Anglo-Indians.
The struggle for independence began with the Language Movement of 1952. On February 21, students died protesting the imposition of Urdu over Bengali. Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a massive crowd at Ramna Race Course Maidan on the 7th of March 1971. He warned of an impending independence struggle against Pakistani rule. Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight on the 25th of March 1971, targeting civilians and intellectuals. The army arrested, tortured, and murdered residents across the city. Large parts of Hindu neighborhoods were burned down during the conflict. Indian Air Force air raids struck Dhaka throughout December 1971. Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora accepted the surrender of the Pakistan Eastern Command on the 16th of December 1971. The Constituent Assembly declared Dhaka the national capital of independent Bangladesh in 1972. Rural migration drove population growth from several hundred thousand to millions within five decades. Sixty percent of this expansion came from people moving from rural areas into the urban center.
Dhaka now houses over thirty-six million people in its metropolitan area. It stands as one of the most densely populated built-up urban areas globally. Only seven percent of the city was covered by roads as of 2014 reports. Traffic congestion cost the local economy billions of dollars annually in 2020 estimates. Three-quarters of the workforce operates in unorganized labor or household sectors. Eighty percent of daily sewage discharge flows untreated into rivers like the Buriganga. Chemical surveys show dissolved oxygen levels near zero in dry seasons. Five hundred to seven hundred textile factories release dyes and bleaches into waterways. One hundred fifty-five tanneries discharge heavy metals including chromium daily. Nearly one-third of residents live in slums without proper sanitation access. The Dhaka Metro Rail Line 6 finally opened commercial operations on the 28th of December 2022. This mass rapid transit system ended the status of being the largest city without such infrastructure.
UNESCO recognized three distinct cultural elements of Dhaka as intangible heritage of humanity. Rickshaw art features floral patterns, movie stars, and historical events painted on cycle rickshaws. Jamdani muslin represents a vividly patterned cotton fabric woven by handloom craftspeople. Kacchi Biryani combines goat meat and potatoes in a signature Mughlai dish. The Ekushey Book Fair takes place every February to honor martyrs who died in 1952. Pohela Baishakh celebrations gather crowds at Shahbag and Ramna Park on April 14 annually. Shakrain Festival involves flying kites across old city rooftops in January. Music groups like Warfaze and Shironamhin perform alongside traditional folk artists. The National Parliament House designed by Louis Kahn won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Over two dozen government organizations manage civic affairs with limited coordination. Eighty-seven percent of water demand comes from groundwater due to river contamination.
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Common questions
What is the origin of the name Dhaka?
Historians trace the name to the dhak tree, the Hindu goddess Dhakeshwari, or a membranophone instrument called dhak. Ancient texts refer to the area as Dhakka meaning watchtower guarding the eastern frontier.
When did Emperor Jahangir establish Dhaka as the provincial capital of Bengal?
Emperor Jahangir established Dhaka as the provincial capital of Bengal Bihar and Orissa in 1610. The city flourished as the hub of the muslin trade throughout the seventeenth century under this administration.
Why was Dhaka known as the Venice of the East during the Mughal period?
Governor Shaista Khan oversaw massive urban expansion that created extensive waterways and gardens. This infrastructure led to the city being known as the Venice of the East due to its riverine commerce and layout.
How many people died during the Language Movement of 1952 in Dhaka?
Students died on February 21 while protesting the imposition of Urdu over Bengali. This event marked the beginning of the struggle for independence from Pakistani rule.
What major infrastructure project opened in Dhaka on the 28th of December 2022?
The Dhaka Metro Rail Line 6 finally opened commercial operations on the 28th of December 2022. This mass rapid transit system ended the status of being the largest city without such infrastructure.