History of Dhaka

The historical development of Dhaka from early settlements through Mughal and colonial rule to its present role as Bangladesh’s capital.

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Dhaka: The capital and largest city of Bangladesh, located on the Buriganga River. The city’s changing fortunes and expanding boundaries anchor its history.
Mughal Empire: An early modern empire that ruled much of South Asia from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Mughal rule turned Dhaka into a provincial capital and major production center.
Partition of Bengal (1947): The 1947 division of British Bengal between India and Pakistan. Dhaka became the capital of East Bengal, later East Pakistan, after the partition.
Lalbagh Fort: An unfinished Mughal fort complex in old Dhaka, begun in 1678. Its incomplete construction reflects the Mughal court’s changing presence in the city.
Bengal: A historical region of South Asia encompassing present-day Bangladesh and parts of eastern India. Dhaka’s early history unfolded within Bengal’s regional kingdoms and trade networks.
Dhaka Nawab Family: A prominent Muslim aristocratic family that became influential in Dhaka during British rule. Its estates and patronage shaped the city’s institutions and urban development.
Language Movement: A political movement in East Pakistan demanding recognition of Bengali as a state language. Its protests made Dhaka a center of Bengali political mobilization.
Ahsan Manzil: A nineteenth-century palace on the Buriganga River that served as the residence of the Dhaka Nawabs. The palace embodies the Nawab family’s influence under British rule.
Buriganga River: A river bordering the southern part of Dhaka, historically connected to the Dhaleshwari River. Its navigable waters helped support settlement, commerce, and the city’s growth.
Muslin: A fine, lightweight cotton cloth historically produced in South Asia. Dhaka’s renowned textile trade connected its prosperity to regional and global markets.