Dhaka District

History

The administrative Dhaka District was first established in 1772, but the existence of urbanised settlements in the area that is now Dhaka city—dates from the 7th century. The present-day Savar was the capital of the Sanbagh Kingdom during the seventh and eighth centuries. The city area of Dhaka was ruled by the Buddhist kingdom of Kamarupa and the Pala Empire before passing to the control of the Hindu Sena dynasty in the 9th century. Many believe that the name of the city was derived after the establishment of the goddess Dhakeshwari's temple by Ballal Sena in the 12th century. Dhaka and its surrounding area were identified as Bengalla around that period. The town itself consisted of a few market centres like Lakshmi Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Patuatuli, Kumartuli, Bania Nagar and Goal Nagar. After the Sena dynasty, Dhaka was successively ruled by the Turkish and Afghan governors descending from the Delhi Sultanate before the arrival of the Mughals in 1608.

The development of townships and significant growth in population came as the city was proclaimed the capital of Bengal under Mughal rule in 1608. During Mughal rule the areas currently under Dhaka district were famous for their textile products—especially the Muslin. Mughal subahdar Islam Khan was the first administrator of the city. Khan named the town "Jahangir Nagar" (City of Jahangir) in honour of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, although this name was dropped soon after Jahangir's death. The main expansion of the city took place under the Mughal general Shaista Khan. The city then measured 19 by 13 kilometres (11.8 by 8.1 mi), with a population of nearly a million people. The city passed to the control of the British East India Company in 1757 after the Battle of Plassey and eventually to the Crown, British Empire, in 1765 at the Battle of Buxar. The city's population shrank dramatically during this period as the prominence of Kolkata rose, but substantive development and modernisation eventually followed. A modern civic water supply system was introduced in 1874 and an electricity supply was launched in 1878. The Dhaka Cantonment was established near the city, serving as a base for British Indian military personnel.

During the abortive Partition of Bengal in 1905, Dhaka was declared to be the capital of the newly established state of Eastern Bengal and Assam, but Bengal was reunited in 1911. The rural areas under the present Dhaka district, especially Dohar Upazila were used for the production of indigo.

Following the partition of Bengal in (1947) appending the partition of British India in 1947, Dhaka became the capital of East Bengal as a part of the new Muslim state of Pakistan, while the western part of Bengal with a majority Hindu population had become a part of the new and independent India, designated as West Bengal with Calcutta as state capital. Calcutta witnessed communal violence that left thousands of people dead. A large proportion of the city's Hindu population departed for India, while the city received hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants from Calcutta, India. The city's population rose dramatically in a very short period of time, which created severe shortages and infrastructural problems. As the centre of regional politics, Dhaka saw an increasing number of political strikes and incidents of violence. The adoption of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan led to protest marches involving large crowds. Known as the language movement of 1952, the protests resulted in police firing which killed students who were demonstrating peacefully. Throughout the 1950s and '60s, Dhaka remained a hotbed of political activity, and the demands for autonomy for the Bengali population gradually gained momentum.

The 1970 Bhola cyclone devastated much of the region, killing an estimated 500,000 people. More than half the city of Dhaka was flooded and millions of people were marooned. With public anger growing against ethnic discrimination and poor cyclone relief efforts from the central government, Bengali politician Sheikh Mujibur Rahman held a nationalist rally on 7 March 1971 at the Race Course Ground. An estimated one million people attended the gathering, leading to Ziaur Rahman's 26 March declaration of Bangladesh's independence. In response, the Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight, which led to the arrests, torture and killing of hundreds of thousands of people, mainly Hindus and Bengali intellectuals.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War the Pakistan army arrested and killed fourteen Muktijoddhas from Dhamrai Bazar. A mass grave created during the war still exists in the western side of Kalampur Bazar. The Pak army also burnt down many houses in Konakhola, Basta, Brahmankirtha, Goalkhali and Khagail Kholamora villages of Keraniganj Upazila.

The fall of Dhaka city to the allied forces led by Jagjit Singh Arora on 16 December marked the surrender of the Pakistani army. The post-independence period has seen a rapid and massive growth of the city population, attracting migrant workers from rural areas across Bangladesh. A real estate boom followed with urban sprawl and the development of new settlements such as Gulshan, Banani and Motijheel.

During the Quota Reform Movement in Dhaka, students from a wide range of schools, colleges, and universities united to demand a fairer government job recruitment system. The protests became highly visible in front of major educational institutions, with students carrying banners, placards, and chanting slogans to draw attention to their cause. Schools such as Maple Leaf International School and Mastermind English Medium School became early centres of peaceful demonstration, where students organised sit-ins and small marches. The movement quickly spread to college campuses across the city, including Dhaka College, Notre Dame College, and others, while Dhaka University emerged as the heart of the protests. Students occupied central areas like the TSC (Teacher-Student Center) and Shahbagh intersections, forming human chains and holding long sit-ins that lasted for days.

On 1 July 2026, Purbachal was incorporated into Dhaka District for administrative convenience. It previously straddled between Rupganj Upazila of Narayanganj District and Kaliganj Upazila of Gazipur District.

Administration

• Administrator of Zila Parishad: Mr. Md Mahbubur Rahman
• Deputy Commissioner (DC): Md. Mominur Rahman

Subdivisions

The district does not cover all parts of Greater Dhaka, and Greater Dhaka does not include all parts of the district, which includes rural areas. The district consists of 57 thanas (50 in city corporations, 7 in upazilas), 5 upazilas, 86 unions, 974 mauzas, 1999 villages, 2 City Corporations, 129 City Wards, 855 City Mahallas, 3 paurashavas, 27 wards and 133 mahallas.

The five upazilas in Dhaka district are:

• Dhamrai Upazila, suburban and rural
• Dohar Upazila, suburban and rural
• Keraniganj Upazila, suburban
• Nawabganj Upazila, suburban and rural
• Savar Upazila, suburban

The municipal area of Dhaka City is under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation; for administrative purposes, the municipal area is divided into 92 wards. Tejgaon Development Circle is merged with the two city corporations.

Demographics

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Dhaka District had 4,035,241 households and a population of 14,734,701 with an average 3.62 people per household. Among the population, 2,231,856 (15.15%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 10,067 people per km². Dhaka District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 84.88%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 865 females per 1000 males. Approximately 76.26% of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 27,137.

Religion

In 2011, Islam was the largest religion in the Dhaka district with 94.65% of the population. Hinduism was the second-largest religion with 4.70% of the population. 0.52% of the population were Christians, while Buddhists were only 0.11% of the population. Although all communities are predominantly urban, a greater percentage of Hindus live in rural areas than in other communities. The district of Dhaka has more than 12 000 mosques, 3012 Hindu mandirs, 530 churches, 174 Buddhist temples, three pagodas and a synagogue. For a long time, Islam has been the majority religion in Dhaka, with only 1300 mosques, but more mosques were recently built, and the district is now called the City of Mosques.

Economy

Dhaka is the commercial heart of Bangladesh. The city has a large middle class population, increasing the market for modern consumer and luxury goods. Many skilled workers are employed in the businesses and industries located in the Dhaka metropolitan area. The city has historically attracted many migrant workers. Hawkers, peddlers, small shops, rickshaws transport, roadside vendors and stalls employ a large segment of the population—rickshaw-drivers alone number as many as 400,000. Half the workforce is employed in household and unorganised labour, while about 800,000 work in the textile industry. Even so, unemployment remains high at 23%. According to CityMayors Statistics, Dhaka's GDP registered at $52 billion in 2005 with an annual growth rate of 6.1%. Its estimated GDP in the year 2020 is $126 billion. The annual per capita income of Dhaka is estimated at $550, although a large segment of the population lives below the poverty line, with many surviving on less than $3 a day.

The main business districts of the city include Motijheel, Panthapath and Gulshan. Bashundhara City is a recently developed economic area that houses many high-tech industries and corporations and a shopping mall that is one of the largest in Southeast Asia, frequented daily by more than 25,000 people. The Export Processing Zone in Dhaka was set up to encourage the export of garments, textiles and other goods. The EPZ is home to 80 factories, which employ mostly women. The Dhaka Stock Exchange is based in the city, as are most of the large companies and banks of Bangladesh, including the Bangladesh Bank, HSBC, Citibank and the Grameen Bank. Urban developments have sparked a widespread construction boom, causing new high-rise buildings and skyscrapers to change the city landscape. Growth has been especially strong in the finance, banking, manufacturing, telecommunications and services sectors, while tourism, hotels and restaurants continue as important elements of the Dhaka economy.

Places of interest

The historic city of Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and lies on the banks of the Buriganga River in the central area of Bangladesh. The old town of Dhaka, south of the city centre, is the site of most of the tourist attractions, including the Lalbagh Fort, the Stat Mosque, and the Ahsan Manzil Palace Museum.

Dhaka was predominantly a city of the Mughals, whose governors and viceroys built several palace, mosques and katrias. One example of this time is the Aurangabad Fort, commonly known as Lalbagh Fort. Also in this area of Dhaka is the Ahsan Manzil Plance Museum, the Bara Katra, the Cotta Katra and several mosques of note.

The old European quarter lies just north of Dhaka's old town, which houses the presidential place and the National Museum, Dhaka's commercial and diplomatic regions are northeast of this zone. Dhaka Zoo and the Botanical Gardens are a short taxi ride into the suburbs.

Once famed for its Muslin, Dhaka is now renowned for pink pearls and a rich tradition of handicrafts.

The Botanical garden is a park at Mirpur in Dhaka. It contains various species of plants. It is also a major tourist spot.

Lalbagh Fort

Built in 1678 by the Viceroy of Bengal, it contains a three-domed mosque, the tomb of Pari Bibi, the reputed daughter of Nawab Shaista Khan, the Audience Hall and the hammam of the Governor. Four Kilometres from the hotel.

Ahsan Manzil Palace Museum

A majestic place, it was once home to the Nawab of Dhaka, and houses 23 galleries displaying portraits, furniture and household articles.

Jatiyo Smriti Soudho

Jatiyo Smriti Soudho or National Martyrs' Memorial is a monument in Bangladesh. It is the symbol of the valour and the sacrifice of the martyrs of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, which brought the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistani rule. The monument is located in Savar, about 35 Kilometres north-west of the capital, Dhaka.

Tara Mosque

The Star Mosque, also known as Tara Masjid or Sitara Masjid, is a historic mosque located in the Armanitola area of Old Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was originally constructed in the first half of the 19th century by Mirza Ghulam Pir (also referred to as Mirza Ahmed Jan), a local nobleman. At the time of its construction, the mosque featured a simple architectural design, devoid of the elaborate decorations seen today. The structure was commonly referred to as the Mosque of Mirza Ghulam Pir, in honour of its founder. In 1926, the mosque underwent significant renovation under the patronage of Ali Jan Bepari, a local businessman. During this renovation, decorative elements—including the prominent blue star motifs—were added to the mosque's interior and exterior surfaces. Following these modifications, the mosque became popularly known as the Star Mosque (Tara or Sitara Masjid). Today, it is recognised for its ornate aesthetic and distinctive star-themed embellishments, which have become emblematic of its architectural identity.

Satmasjid

Main article: Sat Masjid Road

Satmasjid road is a long road connecting Mohammadpur and Mirpur road located in the Dhanmondi neighbourhood of western Dhaka. It is located near the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) and it passes by the Pilkhana headquarters of the former Bangladesh Rifles (Now Border Guard Bangladesh). It was named after Sat Gambuj mosque which is a Mughal-era mosque near the Mohammadpur end of the road and a local tourist attraction. The road houses many univeristies, colleges, apartment blocks, restaurants, banks and offices.

National Museum

The Bangladesh National Museum, located in Shahbag, Dhaka, is the country’s most important institution for preserving and showcasing its history, culture, and heritage. Established in 1913 as the Dhaka Museum and later renamed the National Museum, it plays a vital role in educating the public about Bangladesh’s rich past. The museum houses extensive collections covering archaeology, history, art, ethnography, natural history, and the Liberation War of 1971. Through its galleries, visitors can explore ancient artifacts, sculptures, manuscripts, traditional crafts, and exhibits that reflect the diverse cultural traditions of the people of Bangladesh. As a major cultural landmark in Dhaka, the National Museum serves not only as a centre of learning for students and researchers but also as a symbol of national identity and historical awareness.

Dhakeshwari Temple

Dhakeshwari National Temple is a Hindu temple in Old Dhaka..It is state-owned, giving it the distinction of being Bangladesh's 'National Temple'. The name "Dhakeshwari" means "Goddess of Dhaka". Dhaka is named after Goddess Dhakeshwari. It is the 'National Temple' of Bangladesh. The temple was built in the 12th century, 1100 A.D. by Ballal Sen, a king of the Sena dynasty, and it is said that the city Dhaka was named after the Goddess.It is one of the Shakta pithas, where the jewel from the crown of the Goddess Sati had fallen.Within the premises of the Dhakeswari there are temples of two types of architecture. The ancient one is of the Pancharatna Goddess Durga's which lost its actual look after the renovation work. Bradly Bird wrote this at the beginning of this century. Other than this there are four Shiv Temples.Dhakeshwari Temple in the 19th century is described by Ridoynath Majumder. He wrote that it was overgrown by jungle and in its north the Urdu road went westward towards Pilkhana and at its south west was Mirpur road. At its south there was a wood and Urdu bazar was at the east.In 1996, Dhakeshwari Temple was renamed Dhakeshwari Jatiya Mandir (National Temple) reflecting its position as the centre of Hindu culture and worship in Bangladesh.

Ramna Kali Temple

Ramna Kali Temple is a Hindu temple in Dhaka beside the former Dhaka Racecourse, now Suhrawardy Udyan.It was built in Mughal Empire period (early 17th century) by a mahant named Haricharan Giri.

Armenian Church

The Armenian Church, also known as Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy Resurrection, is a historically significant architectural monument situated in the Armanitola area of old Dhaka, Bangladesh. The church bears testimony to the existence of a significant Armenian community in the region in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Bara Katra

Bara Katra was built between 1644 and 1646 CE to be the official residence of Mughal prince Shah Shuja, the second son of the emperor Shah Jahan. The prince endowed it to his diwan and the builder of the serai, Abul Qasim.

Gallery

Notable People

• Atul Prasad Sen, Bengali composer, lyricist, singer, writer, lawyer, philanthropist and educationist.
• Debabrata Basu, statistician who made fundamental contributions to the foundations of statistics.
• Fazlur Rahman Khan, Bangladeshi-American structural engineer and architect who initiated important structural systems for skyscrapers, considered the "Einstein of structural engineering".
• A S M Abdul Haseeb, professor in the Department of Nanomaterials and Ceramic Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
• Aslamul Haque, entrepreneur
• Dinesh Majumdar, Marxist visionary and youth communist leader.
• Deba Gupta, a Bengali revolutionary who joined in the Chittagong armoury raid.
• Khwaja Nazimuddin, second prime minister of Pakistan from 1951 to 1953.
• Tarique Rahman, current prime minister of Bangladesh and chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party from 2026.
• Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, first female Speaker of the Jatiyo Sangshad (Parliament of Bangladesh).
• Prafulla Chandra Ghosh, the first Premier of West Bengal, India from 15 August 1947 to 14 August 1948.
• Protiva Bose, a singer and one of the most prolific and widely read Bengali writers of novels, short stories, and essays.
• Nasrul Hamid, politician and businessman who served as the State Minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources.
• Nazmul Haque Bappy, director and painter
• Shamsur Rahman (poet), poet, columnist and journalist.Major themes in his poetry and writings include liberal humanism, human relations, romanticised rebellion of youth, opposition to religious fundamentalism.
• Khwaja Salimullah, Nawab of Dhaka, one of the founder of Muslim League.
• Khaled Muhiuddin, journalist.
• Mahasweta Devi, celebrated Bengali writer and socio-political activist known for her works focusing on the marginalized tribal communities.
• Manishi Dey, painter of the Bengal School of Art.
• Taslima Akhter, activist and photographer
• Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumder, Bengali writer of fairy tales and children's literature.
• Pulin Behari Das, revolutionary and the founder-president of the Dhaka Anushilan Samiti, playing a central role in the anti-British revolutionary movement.
• Badal Gupta, anti-colonial revolutionary
• Nafees Bin Zafar, Software engineer who became the first Bangladeshi to win an Academy Scientific and Technical Award for his digital animation fluid simulation work.
• Humayun Faridi, actor
• Jashim, Dhallywood mainstream film actor
• Shamima Akhtar Tulee, martial artist
• Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, award-winning contemporary filmmaker and director
• Wahid Ibn Reza, engineer, animator, screenwriter, film director, actor, poet and writer.
• Zulfiqer Russell, lyricist and journalist.He served as the editor of the online news portal The Bangla Tribune.

Extyernal links

• Media related to Dhaka District at Wikimedia Commons