Shahbag
Encyclopedia
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Wards | 51, 52, 53 |
| Parliamentary Seat | Dhaka-10 (Ramna-Tejgaon) |
| Municipality | Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... |
| Coordinates | 23°44'18" N, 90°23'45" E |
| RAB Rapid Action Battalion Rapid Action Battalion or RAB is an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of Bangladesh Police constituted amending the Armed Police Battalion Ordinance, 1979. Under the command of Inspector General of Police it consists of members of Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy,... Area |
RAB 3 |
| Information | |
 Location of Shahbag in Dhaka |
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| Established | 2004* |
| Area | 17.4 km²* |
| Population | 112,000* |
| HQ | Shahbag Intersection |
| Neighbouring Thanas | Laalbaag Lalbagh Thana Lalbagh is a Thana of Dhaka District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh.-Geography:Lalbagh is located at . It has 71475 units of house hold and total area 9.14 km².... , Dhanmondi, Ramna, Kotwali, Paltan Paltan Paltan is a Thana of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It is often said to be the center of Dhaka, dividing "Old Dhaka" and "New Dhaka". Paltan was made a thana in 2005 by then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.-PALTAN:... , New Market New Market, Dhaka New Market , north of Azimpur, Dhaka began its construction in 1952 by C&B Dept. on of land during the period Mr. Nurul Amin, the Chief Minister of East Pakistan. Market was completed in 1954. Mr. Nurul Amin was also active in establishing the first posh Hotel Shahbagh at Shahbagh area . This... * |
| Website | DMP page on Shahbag |
Shahbag (also Shahbaugh, Shabagh, ˈʃaːbaːɣ) is a major neighbourhood and a police precinct or Thana in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, the capital of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. It is also a major public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
hub, and serves as a junction between two contrasting sections of the city—Old Dhaka
History of Dhaka
The history of Dhaka begins with the existence of urbanised settlements in the area that is now Dhaka dating from the 7th century CE. The city area was ruled by the Buddhist kingdom of Kamarupa before passing to the control of the Sena dynasty in the 9th century CE.The name "Dhaka" derived from a...
and New Dhaka—which lie, respectively, to its north and south. Developed in the 17th century during Mughal rule in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, when Old Dhaka was the provincial capital and a centre of the flourishing muslin
Muslin
Muslin |sewing patterns]], such as for clothing, curtains, or upholstery. Because air moves easily through muslin, muslin clothing is suitable for hot, dry climates.- Etymology and history :...
industry, the neighborhood was originally named Bagh-e-Badshahi (Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
for Garden of Kings), but later came to be called by the shortened name Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
(Persian:شاه, king) Bagh
Persian Gardens
The tradition and style in the garden design of Persian gardens has influenced the design of gardens from Andalusia to India and beyond. The gardens of the Alhambra show the influence of Persian Garden philosophy and style in a Moorish Palace scale from the era of Al-Andalus in Spain...
(Persian: باغ, garden). In the mid-19th century, the construction of buildings in and around Shahbag ushered in the development of New Dhaka as a provincial centre of the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
and ended a century of decline brought on with the passing of Mughal rule.
Shahbag is home to the nation's leading educational and public institutions, including the University of Dhaka
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka is the oldest university in Bangladesh. It is a multi-disciplinary research university and is among the top universities in the region. Established on July 21, 1921, as per the Government of India Act, 1920, it was modelled on the Universities in England and soon gained...
, the oldest and largest public university in Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University is the only medical university in Bangladesh. The university offers MD, PhD, MS, MPhil, MDS, Diploma and FCPS Courses. The current vice chancellor is Prof...
(BSMMU), and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology or BUET as it is commonly known, is a Public Engineering University in Bangladesh. It is the oldest Engineering institution in the region, and is regarded as the best university for technological education in Bangladesh...
, the largest public university for technological studies in the country. Shahbag hosts many street market
Street market
A street market is an outdoor market such as traditionally held in a market square or in a market town, and often held only on particular days of the week...
s and bazaars, and since the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent country
History of Bangladesh
The history of Bangladesh as a nation state began in 1971, when it seceded from Pakistan. Prior to the creation of Pakistan in 1947, modern-day Bangladesh was part of ancient, classical, medieval and colonial India....
in 1971, the Shahbag area has become a venue for celebrating major festivals
Public holidays in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has ten national holidays, based on three separate calendars: Gregorian , Islamic , and Bengali calendars....
, such as the Bengali New Year and Basanta Utsab.
Shahbag's numerous ponds, palaces and gardens have inspired the work of writers, singers, and poets. The Thana area, with Dhaka University at its centre, has seen the debut of some of the major political movements in the nation's history, including the All India Muslim Education Conference in 1905, which in turn spawned the All India Muslim League and led, in 1947, to both the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
and the creation of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
; the Bengali Language Movement in 1952, which led to the recognition of Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
as an official language of Pakistan; and the Six point movement
Six point movement
The 6 Point Movement was a Bengali nationalist movement in East Pakistan spearheaded by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which eventually led to the liberation of Bangladesh. The movement's main agenda was to realize the six demands put forward by a coalition of Bengali nationalist political parties in 1966,...
in 1966, which led to the nation's independence. It was here, on March 7, 1971, that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a Bengali nationalist politician and the founder of Bangladesh. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its Prime Minister. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its...
delivered a historic speech calling for the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan, and here too, later that year, that the Pakistani Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
surrendered in the Liberation War of Bangladesh. The area has since become a staging ground for protests by students and other groups.
History
Although urban settlements in the Dhaka area date back to the 7th century CECommon Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
, the earliest evidence of urban construction
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
in the Shahbag area is to be found at monuments constructed after 1610, when the Mughals turned Dhaka into a provincial capital and established the gardens of Shahbag. Among these monuments are: the Dhaka Gate, located near the Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy , established on 3 December 1955, is the national academy for promoting Bangla language in Bangladesh. The main office of the organization is located at the Burdwan House, once a part of the campus of the University of Dhaka, beside Suhrawardy Udyan.-History:The importance of...
in Shahbag, and erected by Mir Jumla, the Mughal subadar of Bengal from 1660 to 1663; the Mariam Saleha Mosque, a three-domed Mughal
Mughal architecture
Mughal architecture, an amalgam of Islamic, Persian, Turkish and Indian architecture, is the distinctive style developed by the Mughals in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries in what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It is symmetrical and decorative in style.The Mughal dynasty was...
-style mosque in Nilkhet-Babupara, constructed in 1706; the Musa Khan Mosque on the western side of Dhaka University, likely constructed in the late 17th century; and the Khwaja Shahbaz's Mosque-Tomb, located behind the Dhaka High Court
Dhaka High Court
The Dhaka High Court is one of the most important high courts in Bangladesh, located in the capital of Dhaka with jurisdiction for the Dhaka District....
and built in 1679 by Khwaja Shahbaz, a merchant-prince of Dhaka during the vice-royalty of Prince Muhammad Azam
Azam Shah
Mirza Muhammad Azam Shah was Emperor of the Mughal Empire and a son of Emperor Aurangzeb and Dilrus Bano Begum. He was a brother of Zeb-un-Nissa, Bahadur Shah I, and Sultan Muhammad Akbar. Like his brothers, Azam Shah married a daughter of Sultan Dara Shikoh.He served as the Governor of Berar...
, the son of Mughal Emperor Aurengzeb.
Murshidabad
Murshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges River. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Nawabs of Bengal used to rule Bengal from this...
, they became the property of the Naib Nazims & mdash; the Deputy-Governors of the sub-province of East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
—and the representatives of the Nawabs of Murshidabad
Murshidabad
Murshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges River. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Nawabs of Bengal used to rule Bengal from this...
. Although British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
power was established in Dacca by 1773, the upkeep of Shahbag gardens was resumed only in the early 19th century under the patronage of an East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
judge, Griffith Cook, and a leader of the Armenian community of Dhaka
Armenian community of Dhaka
The Armenian community of Dhaka played a significant role in Bengali trade and commerce in the 17th and 18th centuries.In the early part of 18th Century, Armenians settled in Dhaka, then one of the commercial centres in Bengal. They initially built a chapel and cemetery at Tejgagon, five miles...
, P. Aratun. In 1830, the Ramna area, which included Shahbag, was incorporated into Dhaka city consequent to the deliberations of the Dacca Committee (for the development of Dacca town) founded by district collector
District collector
The District Collector is the district head of administration of the bureaucracy in a state of India. Though he/she is appointed and is under general supervision of the state government, he/she has to be a member of the elite IAS recruited by the Central Government...
Henry Walters. A decade later, Kashmiri origin Khwaja Alimullah
Khwaja Alimullah
Khwaja Alimullah was the first Nawab of Dhaka. He was the founder of the Dhaka Nawab Family.He was the nephew and heir of the merchant prince Khawaja Hafizullah, son of Khwaja Ahsanullah, and father of Khwaja Abdul Ghani, the first Nawab of Dhaka to be recognized by the British Raj.- Legacy of...
, founder of the Dhaka Nawab Family
Dhaka Nawab family
Dhaka Nawab Family reigned in Dhaka from mid 19th century to mid 20th century, after the fall of the Naib Nazims. The hereditary title of Nawab, similar to the British peerage, was conferred upon the head of the Family by the British Raj as a recognition of their loyalty in the time of the Sepoy...
purchased the Shahbag zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
i (estate) from the East India Company. Upon his death, in 1854, the estate passed to his son Nawab Sir Khwaja Abdul Ghani
Khwaja Abdul Ghani
Nawab Bahadur Sir Khwaja Abdul Ghani Mian KCSI was the first Nawab of Dhaka recognized by the British Raj.He introduced the panchayat system, gaslights, water works, newspaper, and the zoological garden to Dhaka...
and later to his grandson Nawab Sir Khwaja Ahsanullah
Khwaja Ahsanullah
Nawab Khwaja Ahsanullah , Khan Bahadur KCIE, was the Nawab of Dhaka. He was a renowned Urdu litterateur.-Early life:He was born in 1846 the son of Khwaja Abdul Ghani and Ismatun Nesa. As a young child he learned Urdu, Arabic and Persian in addition to his native Bengali. He was noted as being a...
. In the early 20th century, Ahsanullah's son, Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah
Khwaja Salimullah
Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur, GCIE, KCSI was the fourth Nawab of Dhaka and one of the leading Muslim politicians during the British Raj. It was he who, in the wake of partition of Bengal in 1905, made correspondance and discussed with Nawab Muhsinul Mulk at Aligarh over the issue of...
, was able to reclaim some of the lost splendour of the gardens by dividing them into two smaller gardens—the present-day Shahbag and Paribag (or, "garden of fairies")—the latter named after Paribanu, one of Ahsanullah's daughters.
Partition of Bengal (1905)
The decision of the Partition of Bengal was announced on 19 July 1905 by the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. The partition took effect on 16 October 1905...
in 1905, and with Dacca
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
becoming the capital of the new province of East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
, European-style houses were rapidly built in the area, especially along the newly constructed Fuller Road (named after Sir Bampfylde Fuller, the first Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of East Bengal). Around this time, the first zoo in the Dhaka area was also opened in Shahbag.
After the creation of the new nation of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1947, when Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
became the capital of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
, many new buildings were built in the Shahbag area, including, in 1960, the office of Bangladesh Betar
Bangladesh Betar
Bangladesh Betar is the state-owned radio broadcasting organisation of Bangladesh. It was also known as Radio Bangladesh between 1975 and 1996.-History:...
, (then Pakistan Radio), the national radio station, the (now-defunct) Dacca race-course, as well as the second electric power-plant in East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
. On March 7, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a Bengali nationalist politician and the founder of Bangladesh. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its Prime Minister. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its...
chose the Ramna Racecourse near Shahbag to deliver his speech calling for an independent Bangladesh. During the ensuing Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
, many foreign journalists, including the Associated Press bureau chief in Pakistan, Arnold Zeitlin, and Washington Post reporter, David Greenway stayed at Hotel InterContinental (now Hotel Sheraton
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
) at the Shahbag Intersection. The hotel, which had been declared a neutral zone, nonetheless came under fire from both combatants in the war—the Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
and Pakistani army. At the conclusion of the war, the Hotel Intercontinental was at first chosen as the venue for the surrender ceremony of the West Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
; however, the final surrender ceremony later took place in the nearby Ramna Park
Ramna Park
Ramna Park is a large park and recreation area situated at the heart of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh...
(now Suhrawardy Uddan).
Shahbag is part of the 181st electoral district of Bangladesh: Dhaka 8. In Bangladeshi general election, 2008 Rashed Khan Menon
Rashed Khan Menon
Rashed Khan Menon is a Bangladeshi politician. He is the chairman of Workers Party of Bangladesh and a member of Jatiyo Sangsad, the parliament of Bangladesh. Menon is the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Education.-Early activism:Menon studied at Dhaka...
of Workers Party of Bangladesh
Workers Party of Bangladesh
The Workers Party of Bangladesh is a Communist party in Bangladesh.WPB was founded in 1980 by the Bangladesh Communist Party , Revolutionary Communist League, Majdur Party and another group. Amal Sen was the founding general secretary....
was elected as the member of Jatiyo Sangsad from the area.
Urban layout
| Landmarks |
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| BSMMU | BIRDEM BIRDEM BIRDEM, the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders at Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh is a 600-bed multidisciplinary hospital complex of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh.... |
| Hotel Sheraton Sheraton Hotels and Resorts Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:... | Institute of Fine Arts Art Institute Dhaka - Faculty of Fine Art :Faculty of Fine Art was an Institute of Dhaka University. The Institute turned into Faculty in 2008. This educational institute which established in 1948 was the first art educational Institute in this region and became the main centre of art and cultural practice. Its... |
| Bangladesh National Museum Bangladesh National Museum The Bangladesh National Museum , originally established on 20 March 1913, albeit under another name, and formally inaugurated on 7 August 1913, was accorded the status of the national museum of Bangladesh on 17 November 1983. It is located Shahbag, Dhaka... |
| Central Public Library Central Public Library (Dhaka) Central Public Library of Bangladesh is the largest public library in Bangladesh... |
| University Mosque and Cemetery University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka is the oldest university in Bangladesh. It is a multi-disciplinary research university and is among the top universities in the region. Established on July 21, 1921, as per the Government of India Act, 1920, it was modelled on the Universities in England and soon gained... | IBA, DU Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka The Institute of Business Administration of the University of Dhaka - commonly known as IBA - is a government funded institution for business-education in the South Asian Country of Bangladesh. It was established in 1966 in collaboration with the Karachi IBA, the Ford Foundation, and Indiana... |
| Dhaka Club Dhaka Club Dhaka Club is the oldest recreation organisation and the largest of elite clubs in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was registered on 19 August 1911 in the model of the Bengal Club of Calcutta. It was granted legal status on 14 September 1911 under the Indian Companies Act of 1882. The club is located near... | Shishu Park Shishu Park Shishu Park is the only public sector children's amusement park in Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1979 on of land, it is the first children's amusement park in Bangladesh... |
| Tennis Federation | Police Control Room |
With an area of 4.2 square kilometres (1.6 sq mi) and an estimated 2006 population of 112,000 Shabag lies within the monsoon climate zone at an elevation of 1.5 to 13 meters (5 to 43 ft) above mean sea level. Like rest of Dhaka city it has an annual average temperature of 25 °C (77 °F) and monthly means varying between 18 °C (64 °F) in January and 29 °C (84 °F) in August. Nearly 80% of the annual average rainfall of 1854 mm (73 in) occurs between May and September.
The Shahbag neighbourhood covers a large approximately rectangular area, extending on the east from Ramna Park to the Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh is the highest court of law in Bangladesh. It is composed of the High Court Division and the Appellate division, and was created by Part VI Chapter I of the Constitution of Bangladesh adopted in 1972. This is also the office of the Chief Justice, Appellate Division...
; on the west as far as Sonargaon Road; on the south as far as Fuller Road and from the University of Dhaka
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka is the oldest university in Bangladesh. It is a multi-disciplinary research university and is among the top universities in the region. Established on July 21, 1921, as per the Government of India Act, 1920, it was modelled on the Universities in England and soon gained...
to the Suhrawardy Udyan
Suhrawardy Udyan
Suhrawardy Udyan formerly known as Ramna Racecourse ground is a national memorial located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Once known as ‘‘Bagh-e-Badshahi’’ during the Mughal rule, it is named after Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. Originally it served as the military club of the British soldiers stationed in Dhaka...
(formerly, Ramna Racecourse); and on the north as far as Minto Road, Hotel Sheraton and the Diabetic Hospital.
Shahbag is home to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Control Room as well as a Dhaka Electric Supply Authority substation. The mausoleums of three leaders—Bengali statesman A.K. Fazlul Huq (1873–1962), former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy was a Pakistani-Bengali politician and statesman who served as 5th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1956 till 1957, and a close associate of Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan, first Prime minister of Pakistan...
(1892–1963), and former Prime Minister and Governor-General of Pakistan, Khwaja Nazimuddin (1894–1964)—are all located in Shahbag. The major academic bodies around Shahbag Intersection and in Shahbag Thana area include: Dhaka University
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka is the oldest university in Bangladesh. It is a multi-disciplinary research university and is among the top universities in the region. Established on July 21, 1921, as per the Government of India Act, 1920, it was modelled on the Universities in England and soon gained...
, Dhaka Medical College, BUET, Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University is the only medical university in Bangladesh. The university offers MD, PhD, MS, MPhil, MDS, Diploma and FCPS Courses. The current vice chancellor is Prof...
(BSMMU), the only public medical university in the country, Institute of Fine Arts
Art Institute Dhaka
- Faculty of Fine Art :Faculty of Fine Art was an Institute of Dhaka University. The Institute turned into Faculty in 2008. This educational institute which established in 1948 was the first art educational Institute in this region and became the main centre of art and cultural practice. Its...
(formerly, Dhaka Art College), Institute of Cost & Management Accountants, IBA
Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka
The Institute of Business Administration of the University of Dhaka - commonly known as IBA - is a government funded institution for business-education in the South Asian Country of Bangladesh. It was established in 1966 in collaboration with the Karachi IBA, the Ford Foundation, and Indiana...
, Institute of Modern Languages
Institute of Modern Languages
Institute of Modern Languages is an institute of Dhaka University dedicated to teaching various languages including Bengali, English, French, German, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Urdu and Hindi....
, Udayan School, University Laboratory School, and the Engineering University School. Other public and educational institutions in the area include the Bangladesh National Museum
Bangladesh National Museum
The Bangladesh National Museum , originally established on 20 March 1913, albeit under another name, and formally inaugurated on 7 August 1913, was accorded the status of the national museum of Bangladesh on 17 November 1983. It is located Shahbag, Dhaka...
, the Central Public Library
Central Public Library (Dhaka)
Central Public Library of Bangladesh is the largest public library in Bangladesh...
, and the Shishu Academy
Shishu Academy
Shishu Academy is the national academy for children in Bangladesh. It was established in 1976 for promoting cultural development of children, and nurturing their talents.-Awards Given by Shishu Academy:...
, the National Academy for Children.
The Shahbag Intersection, the nerve centre of the neighbourhood, is the location of many Dhaka landmarks. Well-known ones include Hotel Sheraton (formerly Hotel Intercontinental, the second five-star hotel in Dhaka); the Dhaka Club
Dhaka Club
Dhaka Club is the oldest recreation organisation and the largest of elite clubs in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was registered on 19 August 1911 in the model of the Bengal Club of Calcutta. It was granted legal status on 14 September 1911 under the Indian Companies Act of 1882. The club is located near...
, the oldest and largest club in Dhaka, established in 1911; the National Tennis Complex; Shishu Park
Shishu Park
Shishu Park is the only public sector children's amusement park in Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1979 on of land, it is the first children's amusement park in Bangladesh...
, the oldest children's entertainment park in Dhaka, notable for admitting underprivileged children gratis on weekends; Sakura, the first bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in Dhaka; and Peacock, the first Dhaka bar with outdoor seating. The Shahbag Intersection is one of the major public transportation hubs in Dhaka, along with Farmgate, Gulistan, Mohakhali
Mohakhali
Mohakhali is one of the busiest places in Dhaka, Bangladesh.Mohakhali is an important and busy area of Dhaka city. Many important offices and institutions are based in mohakhali. Mohakhali Bus terminal is one of the most important terminals of Dhaka city...
, and Moghbazar.
BIRDEM
BIRDEM, the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders at Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh is a 600-bed multidisciplinary hospital complex of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh....
(Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders) and the BIRDEM Hospital. Flanking BIRDEM hospital is the Ibrahim Memorial Cardiac Hospital, named after Dr Muhammad Ibrahim, the founder of DAB and BIRDEM. Other facilities in the area are BSMMU Hospital (at the Intersection) and the Dhaka Medical College Hospital at the southern end of Shahbag.
Located at the juncture of two major bus routes – Gulistan to Mirpur
Mirpur Thana
Mirpur is a thana of Dhaka city, Bangladesh. It is bounded by Pallabi Thana to the north, Mohammadpur Thana to the south, Kafrul to the east - to the west it is bounded by Savar Upazila.-Geography:Mirpur is located at...
and Motijheel
Motijheel
Motijheel is an administrative division of Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh. It is situated at the heart of the city . Motijheel is the major business and commercial hub of Dhaka city and has more offices and business institutions than any other part of the city...
to Uttara
Uttara
Uttara, which means "north" in Hindi, may refer to:* In the Hindu epic Mahabharata** Uttara , the son of King Virata who went into battle with Arjuna, disguised as his charioteer....
– Shahbag Intersection serves as a public transport hubs in Dhaka, where the population commutes exclusively by the city bus services. The Intersection also has one of the few taxi stands in Dhaka. The thoroughfare
Thoroughfare
A thoroughfare is a place of transportation intended to connect one location to another. Highways, roads, and trails are examples of thoroughfares used by a variety of general traffic. On land a thoroughfare may refer to anything from a rough trail to multi-lane highway with grade separated...
s of Shahbag has been made free of cycle-rickshaws
Cycle rickshaw
The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport; it is also known by a variety of other names such as velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, becak, trisikad, or trishaw or, simply, rickshaw which also refers to auto rickshaws, and the, now uncommon, rickshaws pulled by a person on foot...
, the traditional transport of Dhaka.
Historic mansions
Dhaka Nawab family
Dhaka Nawab Family reigned in Dhaka from mid 19th century to mid 20th century, after the fall of the Naib Nazims. The hereditary title of Nawab, similar to the British peerage, was conferred upon the head of the Family by the British Raj as a recognition of their loyalty in the time of the Sepoy...
in the 19th century. These mansions not only figured prominently in the history of Dhaka, but also gained mention in the histories of both Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and British India.
A well-known Nawab family mansion is the Ishrat Manzil. Originally, a dance-hall for the performances of Baijees, or dancing women, (including, among the famous ones, Piyari Bai, Heera Bai, Wamu Bai and Abedi Bai), the mansion became the venue for the All-India Muslim Education Society Conference in 1906, which was attended by 4,000 participants. In 1912, Society convened here again under the leadership of Nawab Salimullah
Khwaja Salimullah
Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur, GCIE, KCSI was the fourth Nawab of Dhaka and one of the leading Muslim politicians during the British Raj. It was he who, in the wake of partition of Bengal in 1905, made correspondance and discussed with Nawab Muhsinul Mulk at Aligarh over the issue of...
, and met with Lord Hardinge
Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst
Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst, was a British diplomat and statesman who served as Viceroy of India from 1910 to 1916.-Background and education:...
, the Viceroy of India. The Ishrat Manzil was subsequently rebuilt as Hotel Shahbag (designed by British architects Edward Hicks and Ronald McConnel), the first major international hotel in Dhaka. In 1965, the building was acquired by the Institute of Post-graduate Medicine and Research (IPGMR), and later, in 1998, by the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka
The Institute of Business Administration of the University of Dhaka - commonly known as IBA - is a government funded institution for business-education in the South Asian Country of Bangladesh. It was established in 1966 in collaboration with the Karachi IBA, the Ford Foundation, and Indiana...
(Institute of Business Administration), the Modhur Canteen remains a powerful political symbol.
Nishat Manjil was built as the princely stable and clubhouse for the Nawabs, and served as a venue of receptions for the statesmen of the day, including Lord Dufferin
Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava
Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, KP, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British public servant and prominent member of Victorian society...
(Viceroy of India), Lord Carmichael
Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael
Thomas David Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael GCSI, GCIE, KCMG, DL , known as Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, Bt, between 1891 and 1912, was a Scottish Liberal politician and colonial administrator....
(Governor of Bengal
Governor of Bengal
From 1690, a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal, which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the local rulers, the nawabs of Murshidabad, who were nominal vassals of the Mughal emperor in Delhi....
), Sir Steuart Bayley (Lt. Governor of Bengal), Sir Charles Elliott
Charles Elliott
Charles Elliott was a New Zealand politician. He represented the Waimea electorate in the 2nd New Zealand Parliament from 1855 to 1858, and resigned before the end of his term. He did not serve in any subsequent Parliaments...
(Lt. Governor of Bengal), and John Woodburn (Lt. Governor of Bengal).
The Nawab's Paribag House was built by Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah in the memory of his sister, Pari Banu. Later, with the downturn in the family's fortunes, his son, Nawab Khwaja Habibullah, lived here for many years. The hammam (bath) and the hawakhana (green house) were regarded as marvels of design in early 20th century.
Sujatpur Palace, the oldest Nawab mansion in the area, later became the residence for the Governor of East Bengal during the Pakistani Regime, and was subsequently turned into the Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy , established on 3 December 1955, is the national academy for promoting Bangla language in Bangladesh. The main office of the organization is located at the Burdwan House, once a part of the campus of the University of Dhaka, beside Suhrawardy Udyan.-History:The importance of...
, the Supreme Bengali Language Authority in Bangladesh. Some of the palace grounds was handed over to the TSC (Teacher Student Center) of Dhaka University, and became a major cultural and political meeting place in 1970s.
Culture
Street market
A street market is an outdoor market such as traditionally held in a market square or in a market town, and often held only on particular days of the week...
, and Aziz Supermarket, an indoor bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
. Shahbag is also home to the largest flower market (a street side open air bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
) in the country, which is located at Shahbag Intersection, as well as the largest pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
market in the country, the Katabon Market. In addition, Elephant Road features a large shoe market and, Nilkhet-Babupura, a large market for bedding accessories.
Shahbag's numerous ponds, palaces and gardens have inspired the work of artists, including poet Buddhadeva Bose, singer Protiva Bose
Protiva Bose
Protiva Bose was one of the most prolific and widely read Bengali writers of novels, short stories, and essays. She has written 200 books, all of which have been commercially successful. Several of her novels have been made into successful movies...
, writer-chronicler Hakim Habibur Rahman
Hakim Habibur Rahman
Hakim Habibur Rahman was an Unani physician, litterateur, journalist, politician and chronicler in early 20th-century Dhaka, Bangladesh....
, and two Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
poets of 19th century Dhaka, Obaidullah Suhrawardy and Abdul Gafoor Nassakh.
Shahbag was at the centre of the cultural and political activities associated with the Language movement
Language movement
Language movement may imply any of the following:Language specific social/political movements:*The Bengali Language Movement, which is commemorated by the International Mother Language Day declared by UNESCO and Language Movement Day in Bangladesh...
of 1952, which resulted in the founding here of the Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy , established on 3 December 1955, is the national academy for promoting Bangla language in Bangladesh. The main office of the organization is located at the Burdwan House, once a part of the campus of the University of Dhaka, beside Suhrawardy Udyan.-History:The importance of...
, a national academy for promoting the Bengali language
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. The first formal art school in Dhaka—the Dhaka Art College
Art Institute Dhaka
- Faculty of Fine Art :Faculty of Fine Art was an Institute of Dhaka University. The Institute turned into Faculty in 2008. This educational institute which established in 1948 was the first art educational Institute in this region and became the main centre of art and cultural practice. Its...
(now Institute of Fine Arts)—was founded in Shahbag by Zainul Abedin
Zainul Abedin
Zainul Abedin was nitially a painter of India and became famous in 1944 with his Famine Series paintings of 1943; and after partition he moved to Pakistan; and finally when Bangladesh was created in 1971, he was rightly considered the founding father of Bangladeshi Art...
in 1948. Later, Mazharul Islam
Mazharul Islam
Muzharul Islam FAIA is a Bangladeshi architect. He is the pioneer of architecture and Bengali modernism in Bangladesh. Islam's style and influence dominated the architectural scene in Bangladesh in the 1960s and 70s, along with major US architects he brought to work in Dhaka...
, the pioneer of modern architecture in Bangladesh, designed the Art College as one of his early projects. In the 1970s, Jiraz Art Gallery
Jiraz Art Gallery
Jiras Art Gallery was the fifth art gallery established in Dhaka, Bangladesh, after Dhaka Art College Gallery, Gallery East Pakistan Arts Council Gallery , Art Ensemble and Desh Gallery .Founded by artist-entrepreneur M.M.Yacoob and journalist Aftabuddin Ahmed in Shahbag, the gallery was the third...
opened as the first commercial art wing in the Shahbag area. Other cultural landmarks in the area include
the Bangladesh National Museum
Bangladesh National Museum
The Bangladesh National Museum , originally established on 20 March 1913, albeit under another name, and formally inaugurated on 7 August 1913, was accorded the status of the national museum of Bangladesh on 17 November 1983. It is located Shahbag, Dhaka...
, the National Public Library, and the Dhaka University Mosque and Cemetery, containing the graves of Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam , sobriquet Bidrohi Kobi, was a Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression. His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi...
, the national poet, of painters Zainul Abedin and Quamrul Hassan
Quamrul Hassan
Quamrul Hassan was a Bangladeshi artist. Hassan was born in Kolkata, India. In Bangladesh, Hassan's fame as an artist is perhaps only second to that of Zainul Abedin. Hassan is often referred to in Bangladesh as Potua, a word usually associated with folk artists, due to his down to earth style...
, and of the teachers killed by Pakistani forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
of 1971.
The Shahbag area has a rich religious history. In the late 1920s, Sri Anandamoyi Ma
Sri Anandamoyi Ma
Sri Anandamayi Ma was a Hindu spiritual teacher and guru from Bengal, considered a saint by many and hailed as one of the prominent mystics of the 20th century. Anandamayi means "bliss-permeated mother", a name given by her disciples in the 1920s to describe what they saw as her habitual state of...
, the noted Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
ascetic, also known as the Mother of Shahbag, built her ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
near Ramna Kali Mandir
Ramna Kali Mandir
The Ramna Kali Mandir , also known as the Ramna Kalibari was one of the most famous Hindu temples of the Indian subcontinent...
, or the Temple of Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
, at Ramna. Her presence in Dhaka owed directly to Shahbag, for her husband, Ramani Mohan Chakrabarti, had accepted the position of caretaker of Shahbag gardens a few years earlier. In 1971 the Temple of Kali was destroyed by the Pakistani Army in the Liberation War of Bangladesh. A well-known local Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
saint of the early 20th century was Syed Abdur Rahim, supervisor of the dairy farm established by Khwaja Salimullah
Khwaja Salimullah
Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur, GCIE, KCSI was the fourth Nawab of Dhaka and one of the leading Muslim politicians during the British Raj. It was he who, in the wake of partition of Bengal in 1905, made correspondance and discussed with Nawab Muhsinul Mulk at Aligarh over the issue of...
, the Nawab of Dhaka, at Paribag. Known as the Shah Shahib of Paribag, Abdur Rahim had his khanqah
Khanqah
A Khanqah, Khaniqah , ribat, zawiya, or tekke is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood, or tariqa, and is a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation...
(Persian: خانگاه, spiritual retreat) here; his tomb lies at the same location today. Katabon Mosque
Katabon Mosque
Katabon Mosque in Shahbag, Dhaka is a center for Muslim missionaries in Bangladesh. It houses the Bangladesh Masjid Mission and is officially named as the "Bangladesh Masjid Mission Complex Central Mosque"...
, an important centre for Muslim missionaries in Bangladesh, is located in Shahbag as well. In addition, the only Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
Gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
in Dhaka stands next to the Institute of Modern Languages in Shahbag.
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
celebrating the Gregorian New Year
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
and containing exhibits of agricultural and industrial items, as well as those of animals and birds. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the gardens were the private property of the Nawab of Dhaka, and, although a portion of the gardens had been donated to Dhaka University in 1918, ordinary citizens could enter the main gardens only during the fair. In 1921, at the request of the Nawab's daughter, Paribanu, the organisers of the fair set aside one day during which only women were admitted to the fair, a tradition that has continued down to the present. Today, the fair features dance recitals by girls, Jatra
Jatra (Bangladesh)
Jatra is a popular folk-theatre form of Bengali theatre, spread throughout most of Bengali speaking areas of the Indian subcontinent, including Bangladesh and Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Orissa and Tripura As of 2005, there were some 55 troupes based in Calcutta's old jatra...
(a native form of folk theater), putul naach (puppet shows), magic shows and Bioscope show
Bioscope show
A Bioscope show was a fairground attraction consisting of a travelling cinema. The heyday of the Bioscope was from the late 1890s until World War I....
s. Historically, Shahbag was also the main venue in Dhaka for other recreational sports like Boli Khela
Boli Khela
Boli Khela is a traditional form of wrestling in Bangladesh, particularly popular in the Chittagong area. Boli means a powerful person in Bengali, while Khela denotes a game...
(wrestling) and horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
.
The Basanta Utsab (Festival of Spring) takes place every February 14—the first day of spring, according to the reformed Bangladeshi Calendar. Originating in Shahbag in the late 1960s, Basanta Utsab has now become a major festival in Dhaka. Face painting, wearing yellow clothes (signifying Spring), music, and local fairs are typical of the many activities associated with the festival, which often also includes themes associated with Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
. Shahbag is also the focal point of the Pohela Baishakh
Pohela Baishakh
Bengali New Year or Poyela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in both Bangladesh and West Bengal, and in Bengali communities in Assam and Tripura...
(the Bengali New Year) festival in Dhaka, celebrated every April 14 following the revised Bengali Calendar, and now the biggest carnival in Dhaka. From 1965 to 1971 the citizens of Dhaka observed the festival as a day of protest against the Pakistani regime. Other local traditions associated with the festival include the Boishakhi Rally and the Boishakhi Mela begun by the Institute of Fine Arts and the Bangla Academy respectively. In addition, Chayanaut Music School began the tradition of singing at dawn under the Ramna Batamul (Ramna Banyan
Banyan
A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree...
tree).
Books and movies figure prominently in the cultural life of Shahbag. The biggest book fair in Bangladesh is held every February on the premises of the Bangla Academy in Shahbag. The only internationally recognised film festival in Bangladesh—the Short and Independent Film Festival, Bangladesh—takes place every year at the National Public Library premises. The organisers of the film festival, the Bangladesh Short Film Forum
Bangladesh Short Film Forum
Bangladesh Short Film Forum is an organization of young Bangladeshi film makers. It was formed on the 24th of August, 1986 by a group of young independent filmmakers and activists who were then campaigning for creative and aesthetically rich cinema....
, have their offices in Aziz Market.
In 2001, a suicide bomber killed 10 people and injured 50 others during the Pohela Baishakh festivals. The Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami is an Islamic fundamentalist organization most active in South Asian countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and India since the early 1990s. It was banned in Bangladesh in 2005. The operational commander of HuJI, Ilyas Kashmiri, was reportedly killed in a U.S. Predator drone...
, an Islamic militant group, was alleged to be behind the incident.