Bailey Road, Dhaka
Bailey 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 bailey 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. Bailey Road was featured in a song of the same name by Ayub Bachchu, lead singer of the popular rock band LRB. Bailey Road was officially renamed Natok Soroni (Theater Street), in recognition of the road's contributions to performing arts in the capital.[1]
Significance of the name Bailey Road
Bailey 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 "Theater Road". Theater personalities present during the name changing ceremony were Sayed Ahmed, Liakat Ali Lucky, M Hamid, Ramendu Majumdar and Mamunur Rashid.[2]
History
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]
Theater Street
Bailey Road in the capital widely known as Natokpara has been centre of our theater practices as well as theater performers. The stage productions of Dhaka's major drama companies are usually performed in Bailey 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 theater 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 theater groups and create more theater audiences. This is the place where ticketed theater 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 Samity auditorium
Mahila Samity auditorium is a centre for stage productions. It played an important role in promoting theatre in post-independence Bangladesh. The centre is located in the building of the Bangladesh Mahila Samity on Bailey Road in Dhaka
Shopping and eateries
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:
Bailey Road played an important role in popularizing fast food culture in Dhaka in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Fast food shops such as Swiss and Euro Hut featured burgers, fries, fried chicken, etc. in their menus - at the time a novelty in Bangladesh. These eateries gained great popularity among urban youth, triggering later waves of fast food retail across the entire city. The area now 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, Capital confectionery,Chom Chom Sweetmeat and Swiss Bakery, one of the oldest confectioneries in Dhaka.[4]. Eateries in bailey overall offer both desi and continental foods.
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 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.[5]
Education
Bailey 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.
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.[6]
Stamford University Bangladesh, one of the prominent private universities of country, situated at Baily Road area.
Officers' Club
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
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' [7]
Residence of officials and ministers
Many government officials, officers and ministers reside in bailey road. The ancient homes called ‘lal bari’ are placed there, where the ministers live.
Gallery
References
- ↑ The Daily Star. 2005-08-27. Retrieved 2006-12-25
- ↑ Bangladesh.com, Bangladesh channel, Bangladesh.com 20100. Web: 20.04.:2011
- ↑ Dhaka Smrti Bismriti Nagar, [1st khandha], Muntasirul Mamoon, 2nd edition, 218-226, retrieved: April 2010.
- ↑ Banglapedia, banglapedia 2011, national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Web: 21.04.2011.
- ↑ The Daily Star. 2006-03-19. Retrieved 2006-12-25.
- ↑ Siddeswari girls’ college, annual yearbook web: 21.04.2011
- ↑ Banglapedia, banglapedia 2011, national encyclopedia of Bangladesh
Further reading
Muntasir Mamun (2010). Dhaka: Sriti Bisritir Nogori.
