Dhaka
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For other uses, see Dhaka (disambiguation).
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Dhaka (Bangla: ঢাকা, pronounced [ˈɖʱaka]; formerly known as Dacca, andJahangirnagar, during Mughal era), is thecapital of Bangladesh and the principal city ofDhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, has a population of over 12 million, making it the largest city in Bangladesh.[2] It is the 9th largest city in the world[4] and also among themost densely populated cities in the world. Dhaka is known as the City of Mosques[5]and renowned for producing the world's finestmuslin. Dhaka is also known as theRickshaw Capital of the World. Approximately 400,000 cycle rickshaws run each day.[6] Today it serves as one of the prime centres for culture, education and business in the region.
Under Mughal rule in the 17th century, the city was known as Jahangir Nagar. It was a provincial capital and a center of the worldwide muslin trade. The modern city, however, was developed chiefly under British rule in the 19th century, and became the second-largest city in Bengal after Calcutta(presently Kolkata). 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 in 1947, Dhaka became the administrative capital ofEast 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 center of political,cultural and economic life in Bangladesh.[7]Although its urban infrastructure is the most developed in the country, Dhaka suffers from urban problems such as pollution,congestion, and lack of adequate services due to the rising population. In recent decades, Dhaka has seen modernization oftransport, communications and public works. The city is attracting large foreign investments and greater volumes of commerce and trade. It is also experiencing an increasing influx of people from across the nation, this has made Dhaka the fastest growing city in the world.[8][9]
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[edit]History
Main article: History of Dhaka
The existence of a settlement in the area that is now Dhaka dates from the 7th century. The city area was ruled by theBuddhist kingdom of Kamarupa and the Pala Empire before passing to the control of the Hindu Sena dynasty in the 9th century.[10] The name of the city may have derived after the establishment of the Goddess Dhakeshwari's temple byBallal Sena in the 12th century.[11] Dhaka and its surrounding area was identified as Bengalla around that period. The town itself consisted of a few market centers like Lakshmi Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Patuatuli, Kumartuli, Bania Nagar and Goal Nagar. After the Sena dynasty, Dhaka was successively ruled by the Turkicand Pashtun governors descending from the Delhi Sultanate before being taken by the Mughals in 1608.[12]
The development of townships and a significant growth in population came as the city was proclaimed the capital (Rajmahal) of Bengal under Mughal rule in 1608.[13][14][15] Mughal subahdar Islam Khanwas the first administrator of the city.[16] Khan named the town "Jahangir Nagar" (জাহাঙ্গীর নগর; City of Jahangir) in honor 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.[14][15] The city then measured 19 by 13 kilometers (12 by 8 mi), with a population of nearly one million people.[17] British East India Company in 1765 gained right to collect revenue (Diwani right) and later took over governing in 1793 when Nawabs of Bengal were forced to abdicate all their authority over Bengal, Bihar & Orissa & the city passed on to total British control.The city's population shrank dramatically during this period as the prominence of Calcutta rose,[18] but substantive development and modernisation eventually followed. A modern civic water supply system was introduced in 1874 and electricity supply launched in 1878.[19][20] The Dhaka Cantonment was established near the city, serving as a base for British and Bengali soldiers.[15]
During the abortive Partition of Bengal in 1905, Dhaka was declared to be the capital of the newly established state ofEast Bengal and Assam, but Bengal was reunited in 1911.[13][14][15] 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.[15] A large proportion of the city's Hindu population departed for India, while the city received a large influx ofMuslims. As the center of regional politics, however, Dhaka saw an increasing number of political strikes and incidents of violence.[15] 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.[21] Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Dhaka remained a hotbed of political activity, and the demands for autonomy for the Bengali population gradually gained momentum.[22]
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