Dhaka Club

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Dhaka Club is the oldest recreation organisation and the largest of elite clubs in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was registered on 19 August 1911 in the model of the Bengal Club of Calcutta. It was granted legal status on 14 September 1911 under the Indian Companies Act of 1882. The club is located near Shahbag Intersection. It is surrounded by Dhaka University, Bangladesh National Museum, Hotel Sheraton, BIRDEM Hospital, Ramna Park and the Suhrawardy Udyan.

The land of Dhaka Club was leased out from the Dhaka Nawab Family. In 1941, the Governor of Bengal leased out a tract of land comprising 524 bighas (173 acres) to the Dhaka Club, which was use to develop a racecourse (known as Ramna Racecourse, now converted into Ramna Park), a golf course, the club buildings and playgrounds. As of 2007, the club has only about 5 acres of land in its control, since the rest has been overtake by the government of Bangladesh by acquisition. Apaprt from the wood-paneled club house, which is one of the few surviving British Raj era buildings in Dhaka, the club also houses a guest house, hall rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, a swimming pool, gymnasium, and facilities for playing table tennis, billiards, cards, squash, and lawn tennis.

[edit] History

Ramna Racecourse in the early 20th century, owned and managed by the Dhaka Club

In 1851, the European civil servants established the Dhaka Club on the northern corner of the racecourse as a club for British and other European people living in Dhaka. Until the early part of the 20th century, only white Europeans were allowed into the club. The inspiration of the club came from a Billiard club for Armenians located on the Antaghar Moidan (now known as Bahadur Shah Park) in Old Dhaka, which was purchased by the British as real estate.

The club was registered officially in 1911. The founding members were Lt. Col. E A Hall (Civil Surgeon, Dhaka), C R Bryan, H G Bally (Commandant, Military Police Battalion, Dhaka), J O Rennie (PWD, Dhaka), and J S Wilson and A T Halliday of Indian Police, Dhaka.

Soon after its establishment, it became a club of both local and foreign elite, though white dominance continued down to 1947. The land of the club was leased out from the dhaka nawab estate. The membership of the club grew quickly in the 1920s and '30s when many Europeans came to Dhaka in connection with the jute trade, steam navigation, the railway, and estate management.

[edit] Membership

The club is run by an executive committee comprising a president and 10 members who are elected for a one-year term in a general meeting. The members are of different categories such as life members, general members, honorary members, special members, and officers of the defense forces. However, the right to vote is limited to life and general members. The club has 50 women members out of a total membership of 1,500 as of 2004.

[edit] References

• Muntasir Mamun, "ঢাকা: স্মৃতি বিস্মৃতির নগরী" (Dhaka, Smriti Bismritir Nogori), 3rd Edition, 4th Printing, January 2004, Ananya Publishers, Dhaka. Page 104. ISBN 9844121043।
• Banglapedia: Dhaka Club
• Things Asia: Bangladesh's Dhaka Club