Shahbag

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Shahbag Thana

Shahbag Thana (Partial Map)
Administration
Wards	51, 52, 53
Parliamentary Seat	Dhaka-10 (Ramna-Tejgaon)
Municipalty	Dhaka
Coordinates	30°44' N, 90°23' E
RAB Area	RAB 3
Information
Shahbag Intersection (2005)
Established	2004*
Area	7 km²*
Population	112,000*
HQ	Shahbag Intersection
Neighboring Thanas	Lalbag, Dhanmondi, Ramna, Kotwali, Paltan, New Market*
Website	[1]
* Dhaka Metroplitan Police data

Shahbag or Shahbaugh (Bangla: শাহবাগ Ŝāh'bāgh; IPA: [ʂɒhbɒg]) is an important neighbourhood in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. In 2004 it has been turned into a police precinct (Thana). As an area it is the juncture between Old Dhaka and the new town, both geographically and historically. Home to the largest and oldest university in Bangladesh, as well as other highly prominet academic institutes, the area is mostly populated by teachers and students.

The area, mostly acknowledged as the area around the Shahbag Intersection, is significant for a number of reasons - historical, political, infrastructural, academic, cultural and religious. Shahbag offers an unique shopping experience, and the Intersection serves as the one of the major MRT hubs ^[1] of Dhaka along with Farmgate, Gulistan, Mohakhali, and Moghbazar. The area has rendered its name to Shahbag Tandoori ^[2], a restaurant in London.

Contents 1 Name 2 Area 3 History 3.1 Shabag in 1971 3.2 Mansions of Shahbag 4 Culture 4.1 Festivals around Shahbag 5 Other Features 5.1 Education 5.2 Shopping 5.3 Health 5.4 Amusement and Hospitality 5.5 Spiritual Significance 6 Footnotes 7 External links 8 References

[edit] Name

The area, developed during the Mughal rule of Bengal, was originally called Bag-e-Badshahi (the Garden of the Kings ^[3]), from which it derives its current name.

From the time of the British Raj, the broader area came to be known as Ramna, while a smaller area within Ramna came to be known as Shahbag. The name still means the Garden of Kings - Shah (شاه) meaning the King and Bagh (باغ) meaning the Garden - in Farsi.

The name is similar in meaning to some other places in Dhaka, i.e. Rajar Bag (Raja meaning the king in Bengali). It is conjectured that the prefix Bag implies that the neighborhood dates back to the Mughal times, when Dhaka was partially developed as a garden city.

[edit] Area

Shahbag is roughly the area between the Ramna Park and the Supreme Court of Bangladesh on east and the Elephant Road on the west, and between the University of Dhaka ^[4] and Suhrawardy Udyan (Suhrawardy Park, formerly the Ramna Racecourse) in the south and Hotel Sheraton and the Diabetic Hospital in the north.

[edit] History

The earliest historical evidence from the Shahbag area is available from two tombs - Mariam Saleha Mosque, a three-domed Mughal mosque in the Nilkhet-Babupara, and Khwaja Shahbaz's Mosque-Tomb, located behind the Dhaka High Court. A Persian inscription still fixed over the central doorway of the former records its construction by one Mariam Saleha in 1706. An inscription over the central doorway of the latter records its construction by AD by Khwaja Shahbaz, the merchant prince of Dhaka during the viceroyalty of prince Muhammad Azam, in 1679.

In the 18th century, during the decline of Mughal power in Bengal, the Garden of the Kings became a forgotten project. It was revived again in early 19th under the auspices of British colonial justice Griffith Cook and Aratun, who was a leader of then powerful Armenian community of Dhaka. Later, it became the property of the Naib Nazims of East Bengal, who were the representatives of the Nawabs of Murshidabad. The tomb of Naib Nazim Nusrat Jang lies within the area of the Institute of Fine Arts. In his time the Jaushan festival was a big happening in and around Shahbag.

In 1840, Nawab Khwaja Alimullah, father of Nawab Khwaja Abdul Ghani, bought over the area from the British. Later, in 1868, the responsibility of this zamindari (estate) was handed to his grandson Nawab Khwaja Ahsanullah, founder of the Ahsan Manzil. His son Sir Nawab Khwaja Salimullah re-established the lost splendour of the gradens and divided into two areas - Shahbag (garden of Kings) and Paribag (garden of fairies), named after Paribanu, one of the princesses. In 1830, the Ramna area, including Shahbag, came into the folds of the town’s jurisdiction when Mr. Walters, collector of Dhaka, founded the Dhaka Committee ^[5] under his chairmanship for the development of Dhaka town.

In the past, Shahbag was the place for the first zoo in Dhaka, the now-defunct race-course and the second electric power-plant in East Bengal. The national radio Bangladesh Betar used have its office in Shahbag.

[edit] Shabag in 1971

During and before the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. At the Ramna Racecourse, near Shahbag Intersection, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave his catalytic speech in March 7, 1971 to call for an independent Bangladesh. The Associated Press bureau chief in Pakistan, Arnold Zeitlin, Washington Post reporter David Greenway and other foregin journalists covered the liberation wars while staying Hotel Intercontinental (now Hotel Sheraton) at the Shahbag Interstction, which was declared as a neutral zone. ^{[6] [7] [8]} The hotel still came under attack from both sides of the war - the Mukti Bahini and Pakistani army. ^{[9] [10]}

Hotel Intercontinental was to be site of the surrender of the Pakistani command to allied command. ^[9] Instead of the hotel, Lieutenant-General A. A. K. Niazi, commander of the Pakistani army, surrendered to Lieutenant-General Jagjit Singh Aurora, commander of the Indian and the Allied Forces, at the Ramna Park (now Suhrawardy Uddan) nearby .

[edit] Mansions of Shahbag

The mansions that were built on Shabag by the Dhaka Nawab Family all played significant roles in the history of the city, and going beyond to play a role in the history of Bengal or even British India.

The Jalsaghar in early 20th century

Modhur Canteen today

Israt Manzil in early 20th century

BSMMU today

• Ishrat Manzil: Once a manison to host dances of the famous Baijees (including Piyari Bai, Heera Bai, Wamu Bai and Abedi Bai), it hosted the All India Muslim Education Society Conference attended by a delegation of 4,000 in 1906, which eventually grew into the Muslim League. In 1912, delegates of this Society under the leadership of Nawab Salimullah met here with Lord Hardinge, Viceroy of India) and later Baron of Penshurst. Later this building was rebuilt into Hotel Shahbag (Designed by British architects Edward Hicks and Ronald McConnel), the first multi-star hotel in Dhaka. In 1965 it was turned into into IPGMR (Institute of Post-graduate Medicine and Research), which in 19198 became the BSMMU (Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University).
• Jalsaghar: This building, used as a skating rink and a ballroom for the Nawabs, later was converted as Modhur Canteen, the celebrated eatery of Dhaka University that served as the launch platform for all political-cultural movements against the Pakistani regime. Flanked by the Arts Faculty of Dhaka University and IBA (Institute of Business Administration) the Modhur Canteen still remains a powerful political catalyst ^[11].
• Nishat Manjil: Home of the princely stable and club-house for the Nawabs, this palace saw many Europeans visitng the place for entertainment over the years. Including receptions for Lord Dufferin (Viceroy of India), Lord Carmichael (Governor of Bengal), Sir Steuart Bayley (Lt. Governor of Bengal), Charles Elliott (Lt. Governor of Bengal), and John Woodburn (Lt. Governor of Bengal).
• Paribag House: Built by Khwaja Salimullah in the memory of Pari Banu, his sister. In the times of decline of the Nawabs of Dhaka, Nawab Khwaja Habibullah, son of Salimullah, used to live here. The hammam (bath) and the hawakhana (green house) of this mansion earned rare praise from all.
• Sujatpur Palace: The oldest mansion in the area, it later served as the residence for the Governor of East Bengal during the Pakistani Regime, and then was turned into the Bangla Academy, the supreme language authorities in Bangladesh. Parts of the palace grounds was handed over to the TSC (Teacher Student Center ^{[12] [13]}) of Dhaka University, which became a major cultural catalyst in mid 1970s.

[edit] Culture

In late 19th century, two contemporary poets - Obaidullah Surhawardy and Abdul Gafoor Nassakh - fascinated by the splendour of the flowering garden, the serpentine lake running from it and the numerous ponds and palaces - composed poems about them. Later both poet Buddhadeva Bose and his wife singer Ranu Shom (later known as Protiva Bose) celebrated Shahbag in their respective autobiographies. The area around Shahbag played host to the language movement which gained momentum around Bangla Academy.

Shahbag is home to the first formal art school in Dhaka - Dhaka Art College founded in 1948 by Zainul Abedin - which has become the Institute of Fine Arts, as well as Bangladesh National Museum ^[14] and the National Public Library. In the 1970s, Aftabuddin Ahmed opened the Jiraz Art Gallery, the first formal art gallery in Dhaka, here. Mazharul Islam, the pioneer of modern architecture in Bangladesh and one of the great architectural minds of South Asia, designed the Art College as one of his early projects.

Shahbag also is home to the Dhaka University Mosque and Cemetry. In the cemetry are the tombs of Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet, painters Zainul Abedin and Quamrul Hassan, as well teachers martyred in 1971.

Kazi Nazrul Islam's tomb

Zainul Abedin's tomb

Quamrul Hassan's tomb

[edit] Festivals around Shahbag

The area hosted, from 1875 onwards, a famous fair to celebrate Christian New Year that revolved around agricultural and local industrial exhibition, of animals and birds. The fair reserved a special day for women on Paribanu's insistence. Only during this fair ordinary citizens could enter the gardens of Shahbag, though parts of the gardens were donated as the premise for Dhaka University in 1918. In the past, Shahbag was the center for Boli Khela (wrestling) and horse racing in Dhaka.

February 14: The Basanta Utsab (Festival of Spring ^{[15] [16] [17]}, much like the Basant in India and Pakistan) started in the late 1960s around Shahbag, and is growing to become a major festival of Dhaka. Face painting, dressing in color yellow and its many shades, songs and fairs are typical of the festivities. It is often extended to merge with Valentine's Day.

Other February Festivals: The biggest bookfair in Bangladesh happens every February on Bangla Academy premises. The only internationally recognized film festival ^[18] of Bangladesh - the Short and Independent Film Festival, Bangladesh - happens every year at the National Public Library premises. Host of the film festival, Bangladesh Short Film Forum, has its office in Aziz Market.

April 14: Shahbag stands as the host of the Pohela Baishakh (the Bengali New Year) festival which has become the biggest carnival in Dhaka, happening almost exclusively in and around Shahbag.^{[19] [20]} Dhaka started to observe the day since 1965 as protest against the Pakistani regime.^[21] The Institute of Fine Arts began the tradition of the Boishakhi Rally. Chayanaut Music School began the tradition of singing in the dawn at Ramna Batamul (Ramna Banyan tree). And, Bangla Academy initiated the first Boishakhi Mela in modern Dhaka. Increasingly major cell-phone and carbonated drink brands are joining into the festivities. In 2001 a powerful bomb exploded by a suicide bomber killed 10 people, and injured 50. Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, an islamic militant organization, was blamed for the incidence.^[22]

[edit] Other Features

Shahbag features the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Control Room, a Dhaka Electric Supply Authority sub-station, and more in education, health and spriritual significance.

[edit] Education

The major academic bodies around Shahbag Intersection and in Shahbag Thana includes Dhaka University, Dhaka Medical College, BUET, Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy, BSMMU^[23], Art College, Institute of Management, IBA, Institute of Modern languages, Udayan School, University Laboratory School, and Engineering University School.

[edit] Shopping

Shahbag is also marked for its uniques shopping experience. The unique markets around the area includes - Katabon Market, the largest animal market in Bangladesh^[24]), the largest flower market in Bangladesh at Shahbag Intersection^{[25] [26]}, and tow of the largest book markets in the country - Nilkhet-Babupura Hawkers Market and Aziz Supermarket^[27]. In Bangladesh, Elephant Road features the largest shoe market and Nilkhet-Babupura the largest market for bedding accessories.

[edit] Health

The Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB ^[28]) stands at Shahbag Intersection, as well as its milestone project BIRDEM (Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders) and the BIRDEM Hospital, which is flanked by Ibrahim Memorial Cardiac Hospital in memory of Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, founder of DAB and BIRDEM. The Intersection is also home to the BSMMU Hospital, while the Thana houses the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

[edit] Amusement and Hospitality

Shahbag Intersection, the core of the area, is sorrounded with Hotel Sheraton ^[29] (formerly Hotel Intercontinental, the second multi-star hotel in Dhaka), the Dhaka Club (the oldest and largest elite club in Dhaka since 1911), National Tennis Complex, Shishu Park (the first children's entertainment theme park in Dhaka, which remains open to underpriviledged children for free on weekends), Sakura (the first public bar in Dhaka), and Peacock (the first Dhaka bar with outdoor sitting).

[edit] Spiritual Significance

Sri Anandamoyi Ma, the famous Bengal ascetic known as the Mother of Shahbag, had her ashram here near the now-destroyed Temple of Kali at Ramna around late 19th century. Her husband,Ramani Mohan Chakrabarti, was the caretaker of the gardens of Shahbag. Syed Abdur Rahim, supervisor of the dairy farm established by Kwaja Salimullah at Paribag, was a famous Muslim saint. Known as the Shah Shahib of Paribag had his khanqah here, where his tomb lies today. Katabon Mosque, an important center for Muslim missionaries in Bangladesh, is also here.

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

• Check Anandamoyi Ma Website
• Check out Banglapedia to search for Shahbag and related articles
• Check Mujib on Reference/Encyclopedia
• Check Flickr pictures of Shahbag
• Check out Film Scouts to find the Film Festival on the Catalogue

[edit] References

• Old files and documents preserved at Ahsan Manzil Museum and Nawab State's Office
• Personal Diary (Urdu) of Nawab Ahshanullah preserved at Ahsan Manzil
• James Taylor, A Sketch of the Topography and Statistics of Dacca, Calcutta, 1840
• Patrick Geddes, Report on Town Planning-Dacca, Calcutta, 1911
• Sayid Aulad Hasan, Notes on the Antiquities of Dacca, Dacca, 1912
• Lord Charles Hardinge, My Indian Years: 1910-1916, London, 1948
• S.M. Taifoor, Glimpses of Old Dhaka (revised edn.), 1956
• A.H. Dani, Dacca: A Record of its Changing Fortunes (revised edn.), 1962
• Azimusshan Haider, A City and its Civic Body, 1966
• Azimusshan Haider, Dacca: History and Romance in Place Names, 1967
• Rahman Ali Taesh (translated in to Bangla by AMM Sharfuddin), Tawarikhey Dhaka, 1985
• Sharif Uddin Ahmed, Dacca: A Study in Urban History and Development, London, 1986
• K. M Maniruzzaman, Dhaka city: A sketch of its development, 1987
• Hakim Habibur Rahman (translated in to Bangla by Moulana Akram Faruque and Ruhul Amin Choudhury), Asudganey Dhaka, 1990
• Asma Serajuddin (Ed by Sharif Uddin Ahmed), Mughal Tombs in Dhaka, 1991
• Muntasir Mamoon, Dhaka: Smrti Bismrtir Nagari, 1993
• Nazrul Islam, Dhaka: From city to megacity (Perspectives on people, places, planning, and development issues), Bangladesh urban studies series, 1996
• Golam Rabbani, Dhaka: from Mughal Outpost to Metropolis, 1997
• Sharif Uddin Ahmed, Dhaka: Itihasa o Nagarjiban: 1840-1921, 2001

Coordinates: 30°44′N 90°23′E