Baily road is a well-known thoroughfare in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. It is a classic road in Dhaka. It runs through Shantinagar, connecting the Kakrail-Ramna road with the Siddheshwari junction. It is generally regarded as one of the classier areas of the city. The baily road is considered as two distinct roads, one after another, they are the new baily road and the Baily road. The new Baily road is well recognized for its famous theatres, numerous boutiques, shops, schools, fast foods, restaurants and various hangout places. The other Baily road is reputable because of the officers club, Foreign Service academy and homes of ministers, officers and government officials. Baily Road was featured in a song of the same name by Ayub Bachchu, lead singer of the popular rock band LRB. Baily Road was officially renamed Natok Saroni (Theater Street), in recognition of the road's contributions to performing arts in the capital.[1]
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Baily Road was named in honor of Sir Steuart Colvin Bayley, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal from 1879-1882. However, in recognition of Bailey Road’s importance to the theatre community of Dhaka, on 26 August 2005 the Mayor of Dhaka, Sadek Hosen Khoka, announced that the name of the road would change to Natok Soroni, meaning "Theatre Road". Theatre personalities present during the name changing ceremony were Sayed Ahmed, Liakat Ali Lucky, M Hamid, Ramendu Majumdar and Mamunur Rashid.[2]
Ramna was a forest like area during the British rein. Initially, Charles dos, the magistrate of Dhaka was responsible for its development. He transformed that area into a race course and garden, where the high class and rich people of that time used to visit. At 1840 developed into a small town. Gradually people started building houses at the north side of Ramna. In 1859 surveyor general divided Ramna into two different parts, and they are the Ramna plains and the race course. Government tried to modify the Ramna plains and turn it into the new capital city. He wanted to achieve this by building roads through 100 acre of Greenland. Beside the roads where several great buildings made for the residence of higher officials such as governor, justice, council members, secretary and division heads. Coming back from the scenes of Mughal Empire, even today Ramna has remained as one of the most notable and sophisticated areas. Baily road which lies between Ramna is also one the most prominent and prestigious road in Dhaka. [3]
Bailey Road in the capital widely known as Natakpara has been centre of our theatre practices as well as theatre performers. The stage productions of Dhaka's major drama companies are usually performed in Baily Road. Over the years, its theaters have played host to some of the country's best actors and actresses. The two major theaters on the road that regularly host local and international theater performances.are:
Guide House Auditorium:
Guide House Auditorium is situated on the premises of the office of the Bangladesh Girl Guides Association at New Bailey Road in Dhaka. Since the eighties this theatre has been a major centre for staging regular drama shows. The Guide House Auditorium aims to increase the number of dramatic performances, promote more and more new theatre groups and create more theatre audiences. This is the place where ticketed theatre shows were introduced.
Some of the notable plays performed at Guide House Auditorium by different dramatic societies include Prajapatir Lilalasya (1972) and Oedipus (1982) by bahubachan; Payer Awaj Paoya Jay (1976), Ghare Baire (1985), Kokilara (1989) and Antigone (1992) by Theatre; Shakuntala (1978) by dhaka theatre; Dewan Gazir Kissa and Bisarjan (1985) by nagarik natya sampraday; Jiban Ghase Agun (1986) by Subachan Natya Sangsad; Padma Nadir Majhi (1991), Mahaprayan (1994) and Ekattarer Dingulo (1995) by lokanatya dal; Asman Tara Shadi (1991) and Bajimat (1994) by Samay Sangskritik Gosthi; No Vacancy (1991) by Kushilab Natya Sampraday; Bichchhu (1991), Lalsalu (1991) and Tughlok (1992) by natyakendra; Hallucination (1992) by Sarak; Merchant of Venice (1993) by dhaka little theatre; Court Martial (1993), Kalantar (1994) and Golapjan (1995) by Theatre Art; Putul Khela (1993) and Bhrtya Rajaktantra (1995) by Kanthashilan; Bibisab (1994) by Dhaka Subachan Natyadal; Phera (1994) by dhaka padatik; Public (1995) by Jahangirnagar Theatre etc.
Dhaka Pantomime (1989), the pioneer of group mime in Bangladesh, staged ticketed mime shows titled Manab O Prakrti, Sabhyatar Kramabikash, Bhasa Andolan, Nadi Pader Jiban, Madakashakti and Svadhinata at Guide House Auditorium between 1991 and 1993. In addition to plays and mimes ticketed dance shows have been produced here by various cultural organisations. Zillur Rahman John [4]
Mahila Samiti Auditorium:
Mahila Samiti Auditorium a centre for stage productions. It played a role in promoting theatre in post-independence Bangladesh. The centre is located in the building of the bangladesh mahila samiti on Bailey Road in Dhaka.
The centre began its journey through staging of plays by group theatres. Many theatre groups have for long been staging plays here. Despite its limited facilities, the plays staged here have helped create an appreciative audience for dramatic art in Dhaka. Its stage is rarely used for other kinds of gathering or political discussions.
The first play to be staged here, Danter Mrtyu by Bernard Shaw, was produced by Drama Circle in 1973. The circle's subsequent productions were Banaful's Nava Sanskaran (1978), Manoj Mitra's Sajano Bagan (1980) and Vijay Tendulkar's Chup Adalat Chalchhe (1984). In 1973 the Nagarik Natya Sampraday staged Bidagdha Ramanikul, Taila Sankat, Cross Purpose and Nisiddha Pallite. Among the other theatre and cultural groups that staged plays here from time to time were Aranyak Natyadal, Dhaka Theatre, Nandanik Natya Sampraday, Dhaka Padatik, bangladesh udichi shilpigosthi, Bibartan Sanskritik Kendra, Lokanatya Dal, Dhaka Little Theatre, Sarak Sahitya O Sanskritik Sangathan and Lion Theatre.
The first pantomime group in Bangladesh - Dhaka Pantomime (1989) - staged (1990) their plays Bakhate Chheler Parinati, Balak O Pakhi, Jele, Prem and Bangladesher Swadhinata. In this auditorium quite a few theatre groups from district towns, some from India, and a few other foreign groups participating in festivals organised by the Bangladesh chapter of the International Theatre Institute have also staged plays here. [Zillur Rahman John] [5]
The street is also popular among Dhaka's residents for its quality book shops, clothing boutiques (i.e. the Jamdani sari stores), and fast food shops.
Eateries:
Baily Road played an important role in popularizing the junk food culture in DhakaThe area features fast food shops Palki, Baily Garden Restaurant, Bamboo Castle, Oasis, New Dahlia’s, Chicken King, La Vista, Hot Cake, Euro Hut, Golpea Burger, Golden Food Golden Food, Boomers, Sausage, Bamboo Castle, Al-Baik, Helvetia, Sub zero, Euro-Hut and Domino's Pizza. It also features Pitha Ghar, a place for indigenous Bengali sweetmeat (known as Pitha) such as Prominent, Rosh, ChomChom and Swiss Bakery, one of the oldest confectioneries in Dhaka.[4]. Eateries in baily overall offer both desi and continental food.
Shopping centers and Boutiques:
Baily road is a prominent place for shopping. Traditional and local sarees and dresses are sold there. The major boutiques in Baily Road include the handloom sari shops, like Tangali Sari Kutir and Jamdani Sari Kutir.[4] sarees such as jamdani, katan, muslin, cotton, tangali etc are vastly sold each day. Baily Road is that there are several shopping malls such as Baily Star.Also it has numerous brand stores which like Celebration, Pride, Fit Elegance,Lubnan, Richman, Rex, Ecstasy, Moods, Shada Kalo, and many many more.In 2006, Khaleda Zia, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, made gift of silk Jamdani saris from the former to Gursharan Kaur, wife of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Sonia Gandhi, chief of ruling Indian National Congress. [6]
Baily Road is within reaching distance of a number of academic institutions. . Two of the most famous educational institutions namely Viqarunnisa Noon School & College and Siddeshwari Girl's School & College are situated at this road.
Viqarunnisa Noon School and college:
Viqarunnisa Noon School is an all-girls school,it has about 10,000 students and links with the history of the entire South Asian subcontinent.Viqarunnisa Noon School is one of the renowned schools in Bangladesh. It has a glorius past. It was established in 1952 by Begum Viqar un Nisa Noon, wife of Firoz Khan Noon, the then governor of East Pakistan. From that, till today, this school is keeping its image equally remarkable in the sky of Educational institutions. Viqarunnisa Noon College is a center for higher secondary education in Bailey Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1978. The college took the first place in the combined merit list of the Higher Secondary Certificate examinations and seven times in twelve years between 1994 and 2006.
Siddeshwari Girl's School & College:
Siddheswari Girls’ school and College from its very inception in 1966 has been playing a key role in women education. A huge number of women educated in this college are now established in various fields of the society. They are contributing to the development of the women community as well as the country. With the span of time, Siddheswari Girls’ College has expanded its academic activities and infrastructure. Now it is grooming up as many as 5000 students at Higher Secondary Graduate and Post Graduate Levels. In its long journey, the college has got contribution from its Honorable Principal and honorable teachers. [7]
Officers' Club was established in 1967 on 4.5 acres (18,000 m2) land in a picturesque setting at Ramna (Bailey Road), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Its membership is open only to government officers and the officers of semi-government or autonomous bodies. The land with a colonial building was once given to the club by the PWD (Public Works Dept.). The government also provided funds to construct an auditorium, covered badminton complex, swimming pool and tennis courts etc. The club has now about 2,000 members and run by an executive committee headed by the cabinet secretary of the government. Its members are elected through secret ballot every two years. The club has a library, a newly built 2 storey auditorium, three tennis courts, and facilities to play badminton, table tennis, billiards, cards, chess etc.
Foreign Service Academy a training institute to look after the training needs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) cadres. Formerly known as the Foreign Affairs Training Institute, it was merged with Bangladesh civil service administration academy in 1987. The Academy was inaugurated on 1 January 1997, and temporarily housed at the State guest house 'Sugandha' [8]
Many government officials, officers and ministers reside in bailey road. The ancient homes called ‘lal bari’ are placed there, where the ministers live.
Muntasir Mamun (2010). Dhaka: Sriti Bisritir Nogori.
