Uttara Thana

Uttara Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 36.91 sq km, is bounded by gazipur sadar upazila on the north, pallabi, cantonment and badda thanas on the south, rupganj upazila on the east and savar upazila on the west.

Uttara Thana area Uttara thana is named after Uttara Model Town (residential). There are many government and private institutions and organisations including two private universities, one women's medical college in the area. 

Administration Uttara thana was established in 1988. It consists of 2 union parishads, 19 mouzas, 54 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Tomb of Hazrat Kabir Shah.

Marks of the War of Liberation A mass grave at a place adjacent to the railway.

Population 108077; male 54.41%, female 45.59%; Muslim 96.10%, Hindu 3.32%, Christian 0.49% and others 0.09%; population density per sq km is 2928.

Religious institutions Mosque 111, temple 3.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 61%; male 67.3%, female 53.1%. Educational institutions: private university 2, college 6, women's medical college 1, law college 1, high school 18, madrasa 11.

Cultural organisations Club 29, theatre stage 1, community centre 7, music academy 1, playground 3.

Main occupations Agriculture 9.77%, agricultural labourer 3.62%, wage labourer 3.71%, industry 1.13%, commerce 19.62%, service 38.52%, construction 3.3%, transport 4.43%, renting out 1.48% and others 14.42%.

Land use Urbanization 100%. Residential, commercial, business, educational, office, etc 81%, and low lying marshy land 19%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 8 lakh Taka per katha.

Main crops Paddy, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy, jute, wheat and oil seeds.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, black berry, coconut, banana.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 57, fishery 13 and poultry farm 27.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 158 km, mud road 45 km; railways 5 km; airport1 (Zia International Air Port); noted roads Rabindra Sarani, Jasimuddin Sarani and Sonargaon Sarani.

Traditional transport Palanquin (extinct), bullock cart and horse carriage (nearly extinct), boat.

Manufactories Textile mill 1, garments industry 27.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, bamboo and cane work, handicraft, tailoring, wood work, etc.

Hats, bazars, shopping centres and fairs Market and shopping centre 12; fair 1 (Baishakhi Mela at DIT playground).

Main exports Paddy, chicken, vegetables and ready made garments.

NGO activity brac.

Health centres Health complex 4, private hospital 3, clinic 6 and family planning centre 12.

Khilgaon Thana

Khilgaon Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 14.02 sq km, is bounded by badda thana on the north, motijheel, sabujbagh and demra thanas on the south, rupganj upazila on the east, ramna and tejgaon thanas on the west.

Khilgaon Thana Area consists of five mouzas. The thana area has a population of 38247; male 53.38% and female 46.62%. Literacy rate among the area people is 68.45%.

Administration Khilgaon thana was established in 1998 consisting of parts of gulshan and demra thanas. The Thana consists of three wards, 13 mouzas and 9 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Ancient Math at Taltala.

Population 59248 (1999); male 54.78%, female 45.22%; Muslim 97.67%, Hindu 1.87% and others 0.46%; population density per sq km is 9861.

Religious institutions Mosque 65, temple 1, church 1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 57.5%; male 61.52% and female 53.74%. Educational institutions: college 2, English medium school 1, high school 9, madrasa 14, primary school 18 and NGO operated school 8.

Cultural organisations Club 12, cinema hall 4 and playground 4. Bangladesh Television Centre is located in this thana.

Main occupations Agriculture 7.15%, agricultural labourer 3.85%, wage labourer 5.23%, commerce 32.78%, service 33.68%, house renting out 1.88% and others 15.43%.

Land use Total cultivable land 83.23 hectares; fallow land 26.1hectares; residential 66.4 hectares; single crop 89.72%, double crop 7.75% and treble crop land 3.52%.

Land control Among the peasants 40.47% are landless, 5.39% small, 44.78% intermediate and 9.36% rich.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 12 lakh Tk per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, chilli and vegetables.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, coconut, papaya and guava.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 11, fishery 2 and poultry 27.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 29 km, semi pucca 3 km.

Traditional transport Palanquin (extinct), bullock cart and horse carriage (nearly extinct), boat.

Manufactories Garments industry 18, ice cream factory 4, bakery 26, saw mill 4.

Cottage industries Handicrafts and weaving 8.

Markets, bazars and shopping centres Total number of markets 4 and kancha bazar 8, most noted of which are Khilgaon Taltala Market and Rampura Bazar.

Main exports Handicrafts and ready made garments.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, proshika, IRC, CAP, Marystop.

Health centres Private clinic 8, satellite clinic 1.

Kamrangir Char Thana

Kamrangir Char Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 2.87 sq km, is bounded by hazaribagh thana on the north, keraniganj upazila on the south, lalbagh thana on the east and Keraniganj upazila on the west.

Kamrangir Char Thana (Town) consists of two mouzas. It has an area of 0.48 sq km. The town has a population of 10178; male 56.04% and female 43.96%. Literacy rate among the town people is 43.58%.

Administration Kamrangir Char thana was established in 1998 consisting of six mouzas from Lalbagh thana. The thana consists of one ward and one village.

Population 25827 (1999); male 57.08%, female 42.92%; Muslim 93%, Hindu 5%, Buddhist 1.03% and others 0.97%; population density per sq km is 8999.

Religious institutions Mosque 13, temple 2, church 1, Buddhist Math 4 and sacred place 2.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 28.56%; male 36.73% and female 29.78%. Educational institutions: college 1, English medium school 1, high school 3, madrasa 11, primary school 7 and NGOs school 5.

Cultural organisations Club 6, cinema hall 2 and playground 2.

Main occupations Agriculture 5.16%, agricultural labourer 3.82%, wage labourer 2.28%, commerce 38.73%, service 27.93%, transport 2.07%, house renting out 2.01% and others 18%.

Land use Total cultivable land 7.32 hectares; fallow land 3.42 hectares; residential 20.07 hectares; single crop 88.9%, double crop 9.83% and treble crop land 1.27%.

Land control Among the peasants 40.46% are landless, 7.45% small, 47.55% intermediate and 4.54% rich.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 4 lakh Taka per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, chilli and vegetables.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, coconut, papaya.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 11, fishery 1 and poultry 27.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 4 km, semi pucca 2.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Garments industry 48, ice cream factory 6, bakery 56 and stationery goods factory 7.

Cottage industries Handicrafts, potteries and weaving 12.

Markets, bazars, shopping centres and fairs Total number of markets 5 and kancha bazar 8.

Main exports Handicrafts, potteries and ready made garments.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, proshika, IRC.

Health centres Clinic 4 and satellite clinic 1.

Kafrul Thana

Kafrul Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 17.8 sq km, is bounded by pallabi and cantonment thanas on the north, tejgaon thana on the south, gulshan thana on the east and mirpur and mohammadpur thanas on the west.

Kafrul Thana (Town) consists of three mouzas. It has an area of 8.17 sq km. The town has a population of 78225; male 52.04% and female 47.96%; population density per sq km is 9565. Literacy rate among the town area is 55.2%. The Old Airport, the headquarters of Bangladesh Army and the office of the Prime Minister are located here.

Administration Kafrul thana was established in 1998 consisting of parts of Mirpur and Cantonment thanas. It consists of one ward, 16 mouzas and four villages.

Marks of the war of liberation Jahangir Gate at the entrance of the cantonment (built in memory of martyr Muktijoddha Captain Jahangir), Bashar Base (Air Force, named after martyr Muktijoddha Capt. Bashar).

Population 164396 (1999); male 53.78%, female 46.22%; Muslim 97.78%, Hindu 2.21% and others 0.81%; population density per sq km is 9236.

Religious institutions Mosque 65, temple 2 and church 1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 43.53%; male 58.72% and female 45.37%. Educational institutions: college 2, medical college 1, English medium school 1, high school 7, madrasa 19, primary school 28 and NGO operated school 12.

Cultural organisations Club 14, cinema hall 3 and playground 2. ROAWA Club, Shaheen Club and Old DOHS Club are noted.

Main occupations Agriculture labourer 2.1%, wage labourer 3.87%, commerce 34.65%, service 29.78%, construction 2.09%, transport 5.2%, house renting out 3.78% and others 18.53%.

Land use Total cultivable land 13 hectares; fallow land 7 hectares; residential 146 hectares; single crop 92.9% and double crop land 7.1%.

Land control Among the peasants 40.46% are landless, 1.38% small, 53.56% intermediate and 4.6% rich.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 12 lakh Taka per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, chilli and vegetables.

Main fruits Jackfruit, banana, coconut, papaya.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 18, fishery 2 and poultry 77.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Garments industry 38, ice cream factory 3, bakery 4 and stationery goods factory 8.

Cottage industries Handicrafts and weaving 17.

Markets, bazars, shopping centres and fairs Total number of markets 3 and kancha bazar 7, most noted of which is CSD Market; fair 1 (Mina Bazar (ROWA club) held in 31 December in every year.

Main exports Handicrafts and readymade garments.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, proshika, IRC, CAP.

Health centres Government hospital 1, private clinic 17, and satellite clinic 2.

Badda Thana

Badda Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 16.78 sq km, is bounded by uttara thana on the north, khilgaon thana on the south, rupganj upazila on the east and gulshan and cantonment thanas on the west.

Thana area consists of six mouzas with an area of 7.57 sq km. It has a population of 87935; male 54.02%, female 45.98%; population density per sq km is 11616. Literacy rate among the thana area is 11616 per sq km.

Administration Badda thana was established in 1998 consisting of parts of Cantonment and Gulshan thanas. The thana consists of 4 wards, 16 mouzas, 2 unions (Beraid and Satarkul) and 14 mohallas.

Archaeological heritage and relics Azad Mosque and Buddhist Math at Maddha (middle) Badda.

Historical events During the war of liberation a direct encounter was held between the Pak army and the freedom fighters at Joar Sahara on 9 December 1971 in which many people were killed and many were wounded.

Religious institutions Mosque 85, temple 3, church 6, sacred place 4.

Population 157924 (1999); male 55.68%, female 44.32%; Muslim 92.78%, Hindu 4.21%, Christian 1.28%, Buddhist 1.02%, others 0.71%; population density per sq km is 9411.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 58.5%; male 64.53%, female 49.04%. Educational institutions: private university 3, college 5, English medium school 4, high school 9, madrasa 12, primary school 38, NGO operated school 11.

Cultural organisations Club 15, cinema hall 4, swimming pool 3, playground 3.

Main occupations Agriculture 3.15%, agricultural labourer 4.7%, wage labourer 3.27%, commerce 33.78%, service 28%, construction 3.7%, house renting out 3.24%, weaving 1.57%, others 18.59%.

Land use Total cultivable land 73.34 hectares; fallow land 17.56 hectares; residential 84.78 hectares; single crop 78.79%, double crop 15.83, treble crop 5.27%.

Land control Among the peasants 40.47% are landless, 6.14% small, 47.01% intermediate and 6.38% are rich.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 15 lakh Taka per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, chilly, vegetables.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, black berry, papaya.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 6, dairy 18, poultry 24.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 28 km, semi pucca 4 km.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart, horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Garments industry 48, ice cream factory 6, bakery 56 and stationery goods factory 18.

Cottage industries Handicrafts and weaving 56.

Markets, bazars, shopping centres and fairs Total number of market 5 bazar 8, most noted of which are Banani, DCC, Alam and Shahajadpur Market.

Main exports Handicrafts and readymade garments.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, proshika, IRC.

Health centres Private clinic and health centre 21, satellite clinic 2.

Shyampur Thana

Shyampur Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 2.31 sq km, is bounded by demra thana on the north, narayanganj sadar and keraniganj upazilas on the south, Narayanganj Sadar upazila on the east, sutrapur thana and Keraniganj upazila on the west. 

Administration Shyampur thana was established in 1998 consisting of parts of Sutrapur and Demra thanas. It consists of one wards, 7 mouzas and 3 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Sree Sree Shani Asram and Temple (1191 AD).

Population 60152; male 49.78%, female 50.22%; Muslim 95.78%, Hindu 3.23% and others 0.99%.

Religious institutions Mosque 15, temple 3 and sacred place 1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 52.68%; male 56.73% and female 46.83%. Educational institutions: college 2, high school 5, madrasa 9, primary school 28 and NGO operated school 5.

Cultural organisations Club 6, cinema hall 2 and playground 2.

Main occupations Agriculture 6.15%, agricultural labourer 3.47%, wage labourer 2.85%, commerce 32.83%, service 29.34%, house renting out 1.88% and others 23.48%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is about 4 lakh Taka per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, potato, chilli and vegetable.

Main fruits Banana, coconut, papaya, guava.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 8, fishery 2 and poultry 19.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 2.53 km, semi pucca 1.23 km and mud road 1 km.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Garments industry 4, ice cream factory 2, bakery 6, saw mill 12.

Cottage industries Handicrafts and weaving 8.

Main markets, bazars and shopping centres Market 1 and kancha bazar 4.

Main exports Ready made garments and vegetables.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, proshika, nijera kari, CAP.

Health centres Private clinic 3 and satellite clinic 1.

Hazaribagh Thana

Hazaribagh Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 3.58 sq km, is bounded by mohammadpur thana on the north, kamrangir char thana on the south, dhanmondi and lalbagh thanas on the east, keraniganj upazila and buriganga river on the west.

Hazaribagh Thana (Town) consists of 10 mouzas, It has an area of 1.57 sq km. The town has a population of 55338; male 57.12% and female 42.88%; population density per sq km is 35247. Literacy rate among the town area is 55.2%

Administration Hazaribagh thana was established in 1998 consisting of parts of Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi and Lalbagh thanas. It consists of 3 wards, 15 mouzas and one village.

Archaeological heritage and relics Seven domed Mosque (1676).

Population 75458; male 58.67%, female 41.33%; Muslim 95.76%; Hindu 3.23% and others 1.01%; population density per sq km is 21078.

Religious institutions Mosque 25, temple 3 and sacred place 1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 53.67%; male 58,73% and female 48.06%. Educational institutions: private university 2, college 2, English medium school 2, high school 9, madrasa 15, primary school 11 and NGO operated school 5.

Cultural organisations Club 17, cinema hall 4 and playground 2.

Main occupations Agriculture 2.85%, agricultural labourer 4.23%, wage labourer 7.12%, commerce 35.56%, service 31.75%, construction 2.46%, house renting out 1.87% and others 14.16%.

Land use Total cultivable land 46.23 hectares; fallow land 13.53 hectares; residential 97.29 hectares; single crop 85.78%, double crop 11.03% and treble crop land 3.19%.

Land control Among the peasants, 40.63% are landless, 5.32% small, 52.83% intermediate and 1.22% rich.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 15 lakh Taka per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, chilly and vegetables.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, coconut, papaya.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 38, fishery 7 and poultry 17.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Garments industry 28, ice cream factory 5, bakery 17, tannery 56 and stationery goods factory 5.

Cottage industries Handicrafts and weaving 37.

Main markets, bazars, shopping centres and fairs Total number of markets 4 and kancha bazar 11.

Main exports Leather, handicrafts and ready made garments.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, proshika, Nijera Kari, CAP.

Health centres Private clinic 12 and satellite clinic 1.

Demra Thana

Demra Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 35.79 sq km, is bounded by khilgaon and sabujbagh thanas on the north, shaympur thana and narayanganj sadar upazila on the south, rupganj upazila on the east, sutrapur and Sabujbagh thanas on the west. Main rivers are shitalakshya, balu.

Demra (Town) consists of 3 wards with an area of 3.48 sq km. The town has a population of 268009; population density per sq km 77014. 

Administration Demra thana was established in 1973. It consists of three wards, three union parishads, 36 mouzas and 53 villages.

Population 412232; male 58.62%, female 41.38%; Muslim 97.38%, Hindu 1.94% and others 0.68%.

Religious institutions Mosque 165, temple 8.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 52.3%; male 58.2%, female 44.2%. Educational institutions: college 4, high school 16, madrasa 12 and primary school 50.

Cultural organisations Club 12, public library 3, cinema hall 5, playground 4.

Main occupations Agriculture 1.09%, agricultural labourer 1.54%, wage labourer 2.2%, industry 2.33%, commerce 24.28%, service 33.92%, construction 3.03%, transport 14.88%, house rental 1.9%, hawker 1.06% and others 13.77%.

Land use Total land 4977.18 hectares; agricultural land 66.04%, fallow land 14.08%, industry and commerce 0.66%, residential 13.49%, khas land 2.48% and vested property 3,25%; cultivable land 2869.93 hectares; single crop 54.07%, double crop 37.38% and treble crop land 8.85%.

Land control Among the peasants 40% are landless, 30% small, 28% intermediate and 2% rich; cultivable land per head 0.007 hectare.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Taka 124000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, potato, cauliflower, cabbage and vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Jute, sesame, linseed, varieties of pulse.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, papaya, guava, boroi and banana.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 189, fishery 108 and dairy 512.

Communication facilities Roads: highway 40 km, pucca 30 km, semi pucca 27 km and mud road 17 km.

Traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage and boat. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Large and medium size manufactories 551.

Cottage industries Goldsmith 25, wood work 77 and tailoring 185.

Hats, bazars and fairs Total number of hats and bazars are 13, most noted of which are Sarulia Hat and Jatrabari Bazar.

Main exports Fabrics, egg and flour.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa, Jubak, Kakali Sangsad.

Health centres Health centre 1, maternity 1 and family planning centre 7.

Cantonment Thana

Cantonment Thana (dhaka district)  with an area of 11.52 sq km, is bounded by uttara thana on the north, kafrul and gulshan thanas on the south, badda and Uttara thanas on the east and pallabi and Kafrul thanas on the west.

Administration Cantonment thana, under Dhaka City Corporation, was established in 1976. It consists of one ward and 13 mouzas.

Population 103901; male 53.84%, female 46.16%; Muslim 98.06%, Hindu 1.02% and others 0.92%. Density of population is 9019 per sq km.

Religious institutions Mosque 55, Idgaha 2, most noted of which are Garrison Jami Mosque.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 73.5%; male 81% and female 60.5%. Educational institutions: college 2, government high school 2, non-government high school 7, madrasa 10, government primary school 4, non-government primary school 4.

Cultural organisations Club 4, cinema hall 2, gymnasium 4 and community centre 2. Noted cultural organisations are Sainik Club, Sena Kunja.

Main occupations Wage labourer 1.87%, industry 1.08%, commerce 17.12%, service 50.74%, construction 3.75%, transport 8.03%, house renting 3.03% and others 14.38%.

Land use Urbanisation 100%; commercial 10%, GOB 60%, private residential 15%, housing society 10%, educational 4.5% and slum 0.05%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 12 lakh Taka per katha.

Main crops Vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Paddy, jute, pulse.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, papaya, guava and banana.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Garments industry.

Cottage industries Approximately 25 including handicrafts and tailoring.

Hats, bazars, shoping centres and fairs Total number of bazars and shopping centres are 5, most noted of which are Shaheenbagh and Manikdi Bazar.

Main exports Readymade garments, handicrafts.

Health centres Combined Military Hospital 1, Private Clinic 2.

Sabujbagh Thana

Sabujbagh Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 15.31 sq km, is bounded by khilgaon thana on the north, demrathana on the south and east, motijheel and sutrapur thanas on the west.

Administration Sabujbagh thana was established in 1988. It consists of two union parishads, five wards, 28 mouzas, 30 mahallas and 12 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Basabo Kali Mandir, Basabo Buddha Mandir, tomb of Hazrat Darbar-e Chisti-us-Saberi.

Historical events During the War of Liberation in 1971 a direct encounter was held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army in the middle of November. In this encounter 11 members of the Pak army were killed.

Marks of the War of Liberation It is said that Kadamtali Police outpost was a mass killing site during the War of Liberation.

Population 322862; male 54.44%, female 45.56%; Muslim 96.58%, Hindu 2.86% and others 0.56%.

Religious institutions Mosque 198, temple 5, church 2, Buddhist temple 1, tomb 1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 60%; male 66.1% and female 52.5%. Educational institutions: college 3, high school 8, madrasa 9, government primary school 7, non-government primary school 84.

Cultural organisations Club 27, cinema hall 2, theatre stage 1, women's organisation 1.

Main occupations Agriculture 1.08%, wage labourer 1.82%, industry 1.12%, commerce 21.72%, service 35.66%, construction 3.39%, transport 16.58%, renting out 2.83% and others 15.8%.

Land use Residential, commercial, educational, public use 83%; marshy fallow land 17%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 6 lakh Taka per katha.

Main crops Paddy and vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Jute and pulses.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, papaya and coconut.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 43, fishery 10 and poultry 147.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 21 km and mud road 45 km.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Textile mills 1, garments industry 20.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, tailoring and handicrafts.

Main markets, bazars, shopping centres and fairs Total number of bazars and shopping centre 15.

Main exports Ready made garments.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, World Vision, South Basabo Multilateral Co-operative Society.

Health centres Health complex 1, family welfare centre 5 and family health service clinic 3.

Pallabi Thana

Pallabi Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 17 sq km, is bounded by uttara thana on the north, mirpur (Dhaka) and kafrul thanas on the south, cantonment thana on the east, Mirpur thana and savar upazila on the west. Main river is turag.

Administration Pallabi thana was established on 15 March 1993 under the Dhaka City Corporation. It consists of 1 union parishads, 16 mouzas, 27 mahallas

Marks of War of Liberation Mass killing sites at Mirpur 12 cantonment area, Muslim Bazar; mass grave near Nurani Mosque.

Religious institutions Mosque 103, temple 6, eidgah 15, graveyard 14.

Population 364000; male 52.74%, female 47.26%; Muslim 95.42%, Hindu 4.17%, others 0.41%.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 56.23%; male 58.4%, female 49.2%. Educational institutions: college 4, high school 18, school & college 3, madrasa 12, primary school 36.

Cultural organisations Club 28, literary society 6, cultural centre 3, cinema hall 2.

Main occupations Agriculture 2.36%, loom 3.12%, industry 4.09%, commerce 31.16%, transport 8%, service 28.39%, house renting out 1.77%, others 21.11%.

Value of land The market value of the land is approximately Tk 4 lakh per katha.

Main crops Paddy, vegetables

Main fruits Mango, coconut.

Fishery, dairy, poultry Fishery 13, dairy 23, poultry 56.

Traditional transport Palanquin and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Textile mill 84, chemical factory 8, dying 27, garments 22.

Cottage industries Weaving (jamdani), potteries, handicraft, bamboo and cane work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Market and shopping centre 17, kacha market 13, most noted which are Benarashi Market, Purabi Super Market and Anik Plaza Bhaban.

Main exports Garments products, jamdani and katan shari.

NGO activities brac, proshika, asa.

Health centre Private hospital 2, clinic 4.

Mirpur Thana

Mirpur Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 53.58 sq km, is bounded by pallabi thana on the north, mohammadpur thana on the south, kafrul and Pallabi thanas on the east and savar upazila on the west. Main river is Turag. Mirpur area is an extended part of the Madhupurgarh created in the Pleistocene period.

Mirpur Thana (Town) area was included in keraniganj thana during the British period and in tejgaon thana during the Pakistan period. Many administrative and cultural establishments including National Zoo, National Botanical Garden, National Vagabond Shelter Centre are located in this thana area. National Martyr Intellectual Memorial has been established at the premises of the graves of martyr intellectuals. The tomb of Hazrat Shah Ali Bagdadi (R), a sacred place and historical relic, is located at Mirpur. Besides, the head offices of grameen bank, bangladesh institute of bank management, Dhaka Eye Hospital, National Heart Foundation, etc are located here.

Administration Mirpur thana was established in 1962. The thana consists of one union parishad, eight wards, 11 mouzas and 86 and 20 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Tomb of Hazrat Shah Ali Bagdadi (R) and one domed high Mosque adjacent to the tomb.

Historical event Hazrat Shah Ali Bagdadi (R) came to Bengal to preach Islam and finally settled at Mirpur. He died in 1480 and was buried here. During the War of Liberation in 1971 the Pak army in collaboration with the Razakars killed many people including the intellectuals. In memory of the martyrs a memorial has been established here.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass killing site: Courtyard of Nuri Mosque adjacent to the Bus Stand of Section 12 of Mirpur; mass grave: in front of the Martyr Intellectuals Memorial, slope of the Mirpur Zoo; memorial: Martyr Intellectuals' Monument.

Population 555758; male 56.75%, female 43.25%; Muslim 98.42%, Hindu 1.07% and others 0.51%.

Religious institutions Mosque 167, temple 8, tomb 3 and eidgah 48, graveyard 27.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 59.4%; male 65.4% and female 52.2%. Educational institutions: college 8, high school 20, school and college 6, madrasa 16, private medical college and hospital 3, primary school 47, vocational training institute 3.

Cultural organisations Club 23, literary society 4, cultural centre 3, cinema hall 5, museum 1, zoo 1, botanical garden 1.

Main occupations Agriculture 1.37%, wage labourer 2.13%, weaving 1.12%, industry 3.09%, commerce 21.16%, service 37.41%, transport 11%, house renting out 1.77%, and others 20.95%.

Land use Urbanisation 100%; residential 32%, commercial 19%, offices 6%, business centre, housing and other establishments 85%, low marshy land 0.5%, fallow land 15%.

Land control Land owner 35% and landless (tenants) 65%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 5 lakh Taka per katha.

Main crops Paddy, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy.

Main fruits Mango, coconut.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 623, dairy 54 and fishery 67.

Communication facilities Pucca road 79 km.

Traditional transport Palanquin and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Iron industry 42, textile mill 108, chemical industry 10, dying factory 13, garment 27.

Cottage industries Weaving (jamdani), potteries, bamboo and cane work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Total number of market and shopping centre are 17, most noted of which are Gabtali Cattle Market and Bara Bazar (Kotbari).

Main exports Ready made garments, jamdani sari, katan sari and Coca Cola (soft drink).

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, Proshika, Grameen Bank, Al-Falah Multilateral Cooperative Society, Asa.

Health centres Eye hospital 2, national heart foundation 1, missionaries health complex 1, private hospital 3.

Lalbagh Thana

Lalbagh Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 5.74 sq km, is bounded by dhanmondi and ramna thanas on the north, kamrangir char thana and keraniganj upazila on the south, kotwali (Dhaka) and ramna thanas on the east, Kamrangirchar and hazaribagh thanas on the west. Main river is Buriganga.

Lalbagh Thana area belongs to the old part of the Dhaka City Corporation. 

Administration Lalbagh thana consists of 9 wards, 116 mouzas and 11 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics husaini dalan (1642), lalbagh fort (1678), bara katra (1641) and chota katra (1663).

Population 365323; male 59.09%, female 40.91%; Muslim 97.73%, Hindu 2.01% and 0.26%; population density per sq km is 63645.

Religious institutions Mosque 44, temple 2, Idgaha 2 and graveyard 1, noted of which are Azimpur Graveyard.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 54.9%; male 60.3% and female 47.3%. Educational institutions: university 1, government high school 5, non-government high school 8, madrasa 22, government primary school 11, non-government primary school 4.

Cultural organisations Club 11, cinema hall 1, community centre 7, gymnasium 3.

Main occupations Wage labourer 2.12%, industry 2.85%, commerce 32.41%, service 29.82%, construction 2.55%, transport 11.21%, hawker 1.8%, house renting out 1.71% and others 15.53%.

Land use Urbanization 100%. Residential 30%, commercial 30%, GOB 15%, educational 10%, public use 10% and slum 5%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 12 lakh Taka per katha.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Paddy, jute, sugarcane, pulses, vegetables.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, papaya and coconut.

Dairies and poultries Dairy 3, poultry 18.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Plastic factory, garments industry, aluminium industry, foot ware industry, cycle parts, lathe machine.

Cottage industries These include goldsmith, tailoring and handicrafts, toy making.

Markets, bazars, shopping centres Market 5, shopping centre 5.

Main exports Ready made garments, plastic goods, handicrafts, cycle parts.

Health centres Government hospital 1, private hospital and clinic 4.

Gulshan Thana

Gulshan Thana (dhaka district) with an area of 40.91 sq km, is bounded by cantonment and badda thanas on the north, tejgaon and khilgaon thanas on the south, Badda thana on the east, kafrul thana on the west.

Gulshan Thana area Gulshan thana area is considered as the New Dhaka where most of the foreign missions are located. Besides it has been developed as a major residential area.

Administration Gulshan thana was established in 1972. The thana consists of three wards, 37 mouzas and 20 villages.

Population 156603; male 54.95%, female 45.05%; Muslim 93.65%, Hindu 4.88%, Christian 1.38% and others 0.09%; population density per sq km is 3828.

Religious institutions Mosque 25, temple 2, church 1, idgaha 1 and graveyard 1; most noted are Azad Mosque, Banani Graveyard.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 59.7%; male 66.4% and female 51.2%. Educational institutions: university 8, medical college 1, non-government high school 20, madrasa 7, government primary school 1, non-government primary school 20.

Cultural organisations Club 35, community centre 7, library 9, gymnasium 5. Noted cultural organisations are USIS Library, Gulshan Club, International Club, Americal Club, Australian Club and Russian Club.

Main occupations Agriculture 5.44%, agricultural labourer 1.93%, wage labourer 2.67, industry 1.76%, commerce 21.59%, service 40.92%, construction 5.57%, transport 9.23%, house renting out 2.15% and others 8.74%.

Land use Urbanisation 100%; residential 50%, commercial 20%, GOB 4%, housing society 3%, embassy 12%, educational 7%, agriculture 1% and slum 3%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 15 lakh Taka per katha.

Main crop Vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Paddy, jute, pulses.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, papaya, litchi, guava and banana.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 1, dairy 4 and poultry 8.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart and horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Garments industry.

Cottage industries Approximately 30 including goldsmith, tailoring, handicrafts.

Main markets, bazars, shopping centres and fairs Total number of market, bazars and shopping centres are 45, most noted of which are Gulshan Shopping Centre, Navana Shopping Centre, Banani Bazar, DCC Market I, DCC Market II, Alam Market, Shahzadpur Bazar, Aarong, Iqbal Centre, ABC Shopping Complex; fair: Book Fair at Wonderland Park.

Main exports Ready made garments and handicrafts.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac and ICRC.

Health centres Private Hospital and Clinic 6.

Shaheed Minar

Shaheed Minar monument built in memory of the mother language martyrs, who were killed on 21 February 1952 during the language movement. A memorial to the martyrs was built immediately after the killings, on 23 February 1952.

The planning, selection of the site and the construction work of the memorial were done on the initiative of the students of Dhaka Medical College. The small structure of the first memorial, on a base 101/2 feet high and 6 feet wide, was constructed at the spot where the shootings had taken place: the south-eastern corner of the present Shaheed Minar premises. Immediately after construction, a plate with the words ' Shahid Smrtistambha' (monument in the memory of the martyrs) was affixed to the monument.

Original Shaheed Minar, Dhaka

The memorial became a focal point for the city dwellers and became the symbol of protests. People thronged there in groups. The memorial was formally inaugurated by abul kalam shamsuddin, the then editor of the daily azad, on the morning of 26 February. Police cordoned the Medical College hostel that afternoon and demolished the monument. Although the monument was demolished, the Pakistani ruling coterie could not efface the memory of the martyrs. Innumerable small memorials on the same model were built all over the country, specially in the educational institutions. In 1953 the students and youth community of the country observed 21 February as 'Shaheed Dibas' (martyrs' day). A replica of the memorial in red paper was installed in 1953 in the yard of the Medical College Hostel at the spot where the first memorial had been built. It was covered with a black cloth. From that symbolic Shaheed Minar, students launched their prabhat pheri (mourning procession) on 21 February for the first time that year. The following year (1954) as well the students observed Shaheed Day in a similar manner. The United Front Government assumed power on 3 April 1954.

In the Session of 9 May the government announced that, according to their commitment in the 21-point programme, the Shaheed Minar would be built. 21 February was declared as Shaheed Day and also as a public holiday. However, the United Front Government could not execute its decision as it was ousted from power on 30 May the same year. The foundation stone of the Shaheed Minar was laid for the second time on 21 February 1956 by Abu Hossain Sarkar, the then Chief Minister of East Pakistan, along with Maulana abdul hamid khan bhasani and Hasina Begum, mother of Abul Barkat, the language martyr. Simultaneously, 21 February was formally declared Shaheed Day and also a public holiday.

In 1957, with an Awami League government in power in East Pakistan, the construction work of the Shaheed Minar commenced in the yard of the Medical College Hostel. hamidur rahman had designed a massive Shaheed Minar complex on a large tract of land. In the design there was a half-circular column as a symbol of the mother and her martyred sons standing on the dais in the main part of the monument. Many yellow and deep blue pieces of glass were to be imbedded in the column as symbols of eyes from which the rays of the sun would be reflected. Besides these, there was to be a railing adorned with the Bangla alphabet in front of the monument complex and also two footprints, one red and one black, symbolising the two opposing forces. The design also included a museum, a library and a series of mural paintings. At one end there was supposed to be an eye-shaped fountain with a high undulating platform.

Based on this design, the construction work was started in November 1957. Hamidur Rahman, assisted by Novera Ahmed, supervised the construction. During this time the basement, platform and some of the columns were completed. The rails, footprints, some of the murals as well as three sculptures by Novera Ahmed were also finished. However, marital law was promulgated in 1958 and the construction was stopped. Despite this, people continued to visit the Shaheed Minar to place floral wreaths and hold meetings.

A committee formed in 1962 under the order of Azam Khan, the then Governor of East Pakistan, and headed by the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, suggested extensive changes in the original design of the Shaheed Minar. Accordingly, the design was changed and the construction of the Shaheed Minar was summarily completed.
	Present Shaheed Minar, Dhaka

It was inaugurated on 21 February 1963 by Hasina Begum, the mother of Barkat.

Though reduced and curtailed, the Shaheed Minar became the symbol of the spirit of the Language Movement in the mind of the people. During the war of liberation in 1971, the Pakistani army again demolished the Minar and placed a signboard there with the word 'Mosque' written on it. The mosque was not built, and in 1972, in an independent Bangladesh, initiatives were taken to construct the Shaheed Minar anew. This time also the construction was hastily completed according to the abridged design of 1963. In 1976 a new design was approved, but it was not implemented. Subsequently in 1983, the Shaheed Minar was expanded to its present dimensions.

The Shaheed Minar, with all its architectural and sculptural imperfections, still stands as a symbol of the linguistic and nationalistic struggle of Bangladeshis.

Nakshi Kantha

Nakshi Kantha  embroidered quilt said to be indigenous to Bangladesh. The term nakshi kantha, popularly used in Bangladesh, is found even in medieval literature. The name nakshi kantha became particularly popular among literate people after the publicaton of jasimuddin's poem Naksi Kanthar Math (1929). In west bengal, all kanthas, both plain and embroidered, are referred to as kantha. In East Bengal dialects the kantha is also variously referred to as kheta or kentha. In Bihar and parts of West Bengal, the kantha is also known as sujni. Made from old cloth, discarded saris, dhotis, and lungis, kanthas range from utilitarian quilts to exquisitely embroidered heirlooms.

Depending on the thickness required, three to seven saris are layered and quilted with the simple running stitch, which typically produces a rippled effect. Traditionally, thread drawn from coloured sari borders would be used to embroider motifs or border patterns imitative of sari borders. At present, embroidery skeins are used for motifs and border patterns. Yarn used for weaving is also used for kantha embroidery, particularly in the Rajshahi-Chapai Nawabganj area where the quilting is heavy.

A typical nakshi kantha

Kanthas serve primarily as bed pallets and as light wraps. Small kanthas are used as swaddling clothes for babies. Depending on their size and use, kanthas range from lep kanthas (winter quilts) and sujni kanthas (spreads and coverlets) to one-foot square rumal (handkerchief) kanthas. Other kantha articles include the asan (a spread for sitting), the bastani or gatri (a wrapper for clothes and other valuables), the arshilata (a wrap for mirrors or toilet articles), the dastarkhan (a spread laid out on the floor for placing food items and plates for dining purposes), the gilaf (an envelope-shaped kantha to cover the quran), and the jainamaz (prayer rug).

Most kanthas are utilitarian, with the running stitch being used to hold the layers of cloth together. A large number of kanthas, however, show ingenious use of the running stitch for working motifs and border patterns. Some 19th-century kanthas, for example, have vivid scenes drawn from contemporary life or myths and legends, all worked with different forms of the running stitch. Manipulations of the simple running stitch create ripples, expanses of colour, pointillistic designs, and textures that appear woven rather than stitched. The running stitch also has two particular forms, called the chatai or pati (mat) stitch and the kaitya (bending) stitch, which are used either for motifs or for border patterns. Occasionally, by varying the length of the stitches taken, the running stitch can replicate woven sari border patterns.

Kanthas exemplify thrift, as pieces of old cloth are put together to make something new. However, old cloth also has a magical purpose, as it is believed to ward off the evil eye. The kantha made of old cloth is thus supposed to keep its user safe from harm. Kantha motifs, many of them common to the alpana, also have a magical purpose and reflect both the desire of the needlewoman for happiness, prosperity, marriage, and fertility as well as wish-fulfillment.

Despite their variety, most kanthas tend to follow a basic pattern, the focal point being a central lotus motif with concentric circles of undulating vines or sari border patterns. In the four corners of the kantha, or in the four corners of the central square, tree-of-life motifs or kalka are embroidered pointing towards the central lotus motif. The empty spaces between the central and corner motifs are filled with motifs drawn from nature and the homestead or with scenes from real life or legends. Apart from floral motifs, recurrent motifs are the curvilinear swastika, kitchen utensils, ornaments, elephants, tigers, horses, peacocks, boats, palanquins, and the rath, the chariot of jagannath. Scenes from Hindu mythology juxtapose secular scenes of dancing, hunting, and boating. The areas left without motifs or scenes are quilted with the rippling kantha stitch. Other types of kanthas include the pad tola kantha, which is embroidered entirely with sari border patterns, and the lohori or lohira kantha, in which thick yarn is used for close pattern darning. In the most intricate of pad tola kanthas, there is no space between the concentric border patterns so that the entire kantha seems a piece of woven cloth.

While most kanthas are the work of illiterate women, many contain proverbs, blessings, and even captions of motifs and scenes in Bangla lettering. Thus, in one kantha, the kantha maker blesses her son-in-law: Sukhe thako (Be happy). Some kanthas are autographed, either with the names of the women who made them or indicating the relationship the kantha maker bore to the person for whom the kantha was intended. A few kanthas are inscribed with the names of the persons for whom they were made. A kantha in the Gurusaday Museum, Thakurpukur, West Bengal, for example, notes that it was made by Manadasundari for her father with her own hands. Another faridpur kantha, which contains scenes of the krishna legend, has the caption Bastraharan (the garment theft) under a scene of nude women sitting on a tree.

While the utilitarian kantha never ceased to be made, political upheavals, the availability of manufactured articles, and changing tastes led to a decline in richly embroidered kanthas in the early decades of the twentieth century. In recent years the interest in ethnic arts and crafts has encouraged a kantha revival in both Bangladesh and West Bengal.

Bibliography Gurusaday Dutt, Folk Arts and Crafts of Bengal: The Collected Papers, Seagull, Calcutta, 1990; Whitechapel Art Gallery, Woven Air: The Muslin and Kantha Tradition of Bangladesh, Whitechapel, London, 1988; Niaz Zaman, The Art of Kantha Embroidery, 2nd rev. ed., University Press, Dhaka, 1993.

Bangladesh National Museum

Bangladesh National Museum preserves and displays the cultural property and heritage, as well as specimens of natural history of Bangladesh. Its mission is to establish a bridge between the past and the present and uphold the national tradition and culture. The museum itself has a history, which began with the establishment of Dhaka Museum on 20 March 1913 with an annual government grant of Rs 2,000. The Governor of Bengal, lord carmichael, formally inaugurated the museum on 7 August 1913 in a room of the Secretariat Building (at present, the dhaka medical college and hospital).

The plea for setting up a museum in dhaka was first made in the newspaper The dhaka news on 1 November 1856. In 1909, a few coins were transferred from Shillong to Dhaka, and a suitable place was needed to preserve them.
	Bangladesh National Museum, Dhaka

H E Stapleton, a famous numismatist made a proposal to Governor Sir Lancelot Hare on 1 March 1910 to establish a museum in Dhaka. Consequently, a meeting of distinguished citizens of Dhaka was held on 25 July 1912 at northbrook hall. The establishment of the museum was formally approved by the government and published in the official Gazette of 5 March 1913. A provisional General Committee of 30 members was constituted with Nicholas D Beatson-Bell, Commissioner of Dhaka Division, as president. It was authorised to appoint a provisional executive committee to draft rules for the management of the museum. The rules drawn up were approved by the government on 18 November 1913, and in accordance with these, a general committee and an executive committee were formed.

In the first meeting of the general committee held on 3 March 1914, a decision was taken to request the Bengal government for a grant of Rs 5,000 to cover the development expenses of the museum for 1914-15. The first meeting of the executive committee was held on 19 May 1914. At this meeting the draft budget for the year 1914-15 was prepared and a decision was taken to appoint a curator. nalini kanta bhattasali joined as the first curator of Dhaka Museum on 6 July 1914, with a monthly salary of Rs 100. Although the museum was inaugurated on 7 August 1913, it was opened to the public on 25 August 1914, with 379 objects on display. A total of 4,453 people visited the museum in 1914-15; among them 143 were female.

Gradually, collections and activities of the museum increased. The secretariat of the museum was transferred to Baraduwari and Deuri at Nimtali (now in the premises of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh) in July 1915. In 1936, the government dissolved both the general committee and the executive committee and a 9-member Dhaka Museum Committee was formed with the Vice Chancellor of the university of dhaka as president and the curator of the museum as secretary. Nalini Kanta Bhattasali died on 6 February 1947. Later, Professor Ahmed Hasan Dani, Professor Abu Mohamed Habibullah, Professor Sirajul Haque and Dr Mafizullah Kabir worked as part-time honorary curators at different times. According to the Dhaka Museum Ordinance, a board of trustees was formed on 22 April 1970 and the museum became an autonomous institution. The Bangladesh Jatiya Jadughar (National Museum) Ordinance was promulgated on 20 September 1983 under which the Bangladesh Jatiya Jadughar Board of Trustees has been constituted on 15 November 1983.

The Bangladesh National Museum was shifted to its present site at Shahbag on 17 November 1983. The four-storied building of the museum has 43 galleries on a total floor space of 238,000 square feet. The galleries include: Bangladesh in maps; Rural Bangladesh; sundarbans; rocks and minerals; plants; flowers, fruits and creepers; animals; birds; mammals; elephant; life in Bangladesh; boats of Bangladesh; tribes of Bangladesh-1; tribes of Bangladesh-2; potteries; archaeological artifacts; sculpture-1; sculpture-2; architecture; inscriptions; coins, medals and ornaments; ivory works; arms and weapons; metal works; porcelain and glassware; dolls; musical instruments; textiles and costumes; embroidered quilts; wood carvings-1; wood carvings-2; manuscripts and documents; traditional and miniature paintings; Shilpacharya zainul abedin Gallery; contemporary art-1; contemporary art-2; eternal Bangladesh, portraits of national heroes, historical documents and mementos of national heroes, martyred intellectuals; war of liberation-1; War of Liberation-2; world art-1; world art-2 and portraits of world personalities. The museum has two auditoriums - one with 700 seats and the other with 200 seats, a temporary exhibition hall and office rooms for officers and the staff.

By June 1998, the museum had collected 82,475 objects. The most significant objects are: ancient petrified wood (2.5 million years old) collected from lalmai and mainamati; blackstone Naga Darwaza (serpent doorway) of 10th-11th century collected from Bangarh, dinajpur; pieces of atom bombs blasted in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945; mat made of ivory; objects of the Liberation War of Bangladesh; objects used by the martyrs of the language movement; muslin of Dhaka; items of folk art and crafts; coins of emperor Sher Shah; terracotta plaques; sculptures and collection of contemporary art including various types of statues.

A large portion of the budget of the museum comes from the government as grant. The sources of the museum's own income include the rent collected from the four auditoriums and other buildings and sale of entry tickets. The director general is the chief executive of the museum. It has four branch museums: Osmany Museum at sylhet; ahsan manzil Museum in Dhaka; Zia Smriti Museum in chittagong, and the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala at mymensingh. The number of foreign and local visitors at the museum average 2,345 a day. For rural people, the museum organised a Mobile Exhibition in 1979 with a special bus containing a Mini Museum of 28 small galleries. The objective of this programme was to make the masses familiar with the culture and tradition of Bangladesh.

In 1976, the museum started the school service programme that provided the students of Dhaka city with the opportunity to visit the museum by using its own transport. Under this programme, a total of 24,013 student visitors visited the museum during 1996-97.

According to the nature of objects displayed, the museum is divided into four curatorial departments. These are: Department of History and Classical Art, Department of Ethnography and Decorative Art, Department of Contemporary Art and World Civilisation, and Department of Natural History. The important objects under the supervision of the Department of History and Classical Art include the table on which the Instrument of Surrender was signed by the Pakistan army on 16 December 1971; the first flag of independent Bangladesh hoisted at foreign missions; documents of the Liberation War of Bangladesh; torture machines; The historic declaration of bangabandhu sheikh mujibur rahman delivered on 7 March 1971 in Dhaka; the bullet- ridden and blood-stained shirt and shoes of Shaheed Shafiur Rahman, a martyr of the language movement of 1952; personal mementos of martyred intellectuals and Shaheed Asad; historical mementos of roquiah sakhawat hossain, michael madhusudan dutt, kazi nazrul islam and rabindranath tagore; ancient blackstone, sandstone and metal sculptures; coins of gold, silver and metal; ancient inscriptions and manuscripts; terracotta plaques; wooden sculpture; medals, royal decrees and historic artworks; iron axes; archaeological artifacts and objects of religious significance.

Remarkable objects under the supervision of the Department of Ethnography and Decorative Art include muslin sari; decorative umbrella and sari; choga (a sort of loose and long outer dress); achkan (kinkhab- ceremonial dress); textiles; boats of Bangladesh; weapons made of iron; cannons; nakada (war drum); swords; filigree models; ivory works; nakshi kantha (embroidered quilt); plates and dishes of porcelain; potteries; dolls; wood carvings; musical instruments; ornaments worn by various tribes; dresses worn by tribes; ornaments worn by women; fishing implements; objects of household decoration; moulds of decorative cakes; and strings of glass-beads.

The important objects under the Department of Contemporary Art and World Civilisation include paintings and sculptures of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, Quamrul Hasan and artist S M Sultan and artworks and reproductions of works by renowned artists from home and abroad; potteries burnt during the Second World War in Hiroshima of Japan and various local and foreign objects collected from Bangabhaban.

Objects supervised by the Department of Natural History include mapping of rocks, minerals and population of Bangladesh; geological map of Bangladesh; water colour paintings of rural Bangladesh; stuffed Royal bengal tiger of the Sundarbans, chitral deer, honey bee, peafowl, cattle and birds, fruits and flowers, butterflies, pet animals, marine mollusc, elephant, monkey, langur and the skeleton of a whale. Two other departments are Conservation Laboratory and Department of Public Education. The laboratory looks after the restoration of museum objects using scientific methods. The Department of Public Education conducts museum-related education programmes for the public and students. This department has seven sections: education, display, library, publications, audio-visual, auditorium and photography. The Department of Public Education organises seminars, symposia, exhibitions, competitions and educational and cultural functions.

National Memorial

National Martyrs' Memorial situated at Savar, about 35 km north-west of Dhaka, symbolises the valour and sacrifice of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Bangladesh.

A national competition was held for the design of the project in June 1978. Among the fifty-seven competitors Architect Syed Moinul Hossain's design proposal was selected.

The main monument is composed of seven isosceles triangular planes each varying in size in its height and base. The highest one has the smallest base while the broadest base has the lowest height. The planes are folded at the middle and placed one after another. The highest point of the structure reaches 150 feet. This unique arrangement of the planes has created a structure that seems to change its configuration when viewed from different angles. The architect has used concrete for the monument while all the other structures and pavements of the complex are made of red bricks. Use of different materials has added to the gravity of the monument.

Front view of National Martyrs' Memorial, Saver Courtesy: SR Rahul

The whole complex is spread over an area of 34 hectares (84 acres) which is again wrapped around by a green belt of 10 hectares (24.7 acre). Several mass-graves and a reflection water body are placed in front of the monument. Once one enters the complex through the main gate he or she can see the monument axially but to reach it one has to walk through different ups and downs of pavements and cross an artificial lake by a bridge-all these represent the struggle for independence.

Side view of National Martyrs' Memorial, Saver

The project was constructed in three phases. The first one, began in 1972, involved in acquiring land and constructing road for the project at a cos t of Tk 26 lacs. During the second phase, 1974 - 1982, Tk 3.77 crores were spent in order to build the mass-graves, helipad, parking space, pavements etc. In the third phase, began in August 1982, the main structure was built apart from the artificial lake, green belt, cafeteria, housing etc. The third phase required Tk 848.65 lacs. The Public Works Department of the Government of Bangladesh supervised the construction of the project.

Husaini Dalan

Husaini Dalan a Shiite shrine in the old part of the city of dhaka, attributed to the Mughal Period. It is a common practice among the Shia community to build edifices to commemorate the martyrdom of al-Husain, at the battle of Karbala in Iraq on the tenth day of Muharram 61 AH (10 October 680 AD). The building seems to have been originally erected by one Sayyid Murad during the governorship of shah shuja, who, although himself a Sunni, was eager to preserve and patronise Shiite institutions. Traditions relate that Sayyid Murad, having seen al-Husain in a vision erecting a tazia khana (house of mourning), was inspired to raise the building, which he named Husaini Dalan. The original building may have been a small structure, expanded to its present form in later times. The east india company repaired it in 1807 and 1810, and a portion of the building was reconstructed after the earthquake of 1897.

Husaini Dalan (view from the south)	Courtesy: Md Johir Uddin

The building stands on a high platform ascended by a flight of steps on the east and consists of two main halls placed back to back. The shirni hall, facing south, is coloured black to indicate sorrow and mourning for the death of al-Husain, and the khutba hall, facing north, has a mimbar with seven wooden steps. In the latter hall are hung several religious symbols. To these halls have been added subsidiary halls in two storeys on the right and left, probably meant for women. The southern facade of the building is flanked by two three-storey polygonal hollow towers, crowned by domes. The parapet of the building consists of coloured merlons, and over its four corners are four kiosks. The building as a whole gives a modern appearance with remnants of older architecture here and there.

Hussaini Dalan, a silver relica

From the first to the tenth day of Muharram, the Husaini Dalan becomes the chief attraction of the city. Mourners, including Sunni Muslims, assemble there, listen to sermons and join in passion plays crying 'Ya Husain, Ya Husain'. On the ashura (tenth day), a great procession parades through the main streets of the city to a place in the western part of the city symbolically called Karbala.