Uttara Thana
Encyclopedia
Uttara is a Thana
of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh
. The name derives from the Bengali
word "ut'tar" meaning "north". It lies on the road to Gazipur
, and adjoins Shahjalal International Airport.
Uttara is primarily planned square grid residential suburb, geographically elevated from southern Dhaka saving it from floods, and is divided into several "sectors". The residents are generally from an (higher-middle-class) or middle-class background, who favor its distance from the congestion and pollution
of Dhaka city. Indeed, well into the 1990s, Uttara retained its quiet, leafy suburban character. In recent years, with the increasing influx of people moving in from the city, Uttara has evolved into a bustling town, similar to other areas of Dhaka such as Gulshan, Mohakhali
, Banani
, Mirpur
, Mohammadpur
or Dhanmondi. The suburb is well-served by a proliferation of shopping complexes, shops, and schools & colleges.
United Airways
has its head office in the Uttara Tower in Uttara Thana. RAK Tower & ABC Tower of ABC Developer Company are at Jashimuddin Avenue in Uttara Thana. Local super market chains such as Agora, Shop 'n Save, Nandan Megashop and Family Needs operate in Uttara. Also, the leading American car manufacturer Ford has it's showroom situated in Abdullahpur.
Aarong
has it's State of the art
, 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) flagship outlet on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
Uttara hosts an array of food outlets and educational institutions to cater to the residents. International fast food,ice cream and coffee chains like KFC, Pizza Hut
, Pizza Inn
, Coffee World
, Barista Lavazza, Mövenpick
, Chicken King and Mainland China are in Uttara, to add to local chains such as Kabab Factory, Shikara, La-Bamba, Sangam, Helvetia, Captain's World, Best Fried Chicken, Fire on Ice, Dhakai Khabar, Aroma, Xinziang, and American Burger.
Being in close proximity to the international airport, Uttara has a few hotels and bed-and-breakfasts as well.
Uttara is also home to Uttara University
, Shanta Mariam University of Creative Technology, Asian University and Daffodils International University.
Being the northernmost thana of the Dhaka metropolitan area, Uttara serves as one of the few exits of Dhaka city. Travelers exiting Uttara to outside the city will use any local buses or even taxis for short distance travels to neighboring Tongi
and Gazipur
northbound on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway; long-haul travelers to northern Bangladesh will take coaches and exit northbound as well. Travelers entering the city centre can take buses, taxis or CNG-driven three-wheelers southbound on the highway. Travelers coming towards Uttara from within the city must travel on any bus that travels through Khilkhet and the airport to Uttara. Travelers coming to Uttara from northern Bangladesh must board a coach that enters Dhaka via Abdullahpur/Tongi, as most buses enter Dhaka city from the Gabtoli entry. Travelers coming from southern Bangladesh to Uttara must disembark at their designated stops and board a local bus to Uttara.
The nearest train station from Uttara is located opposite to the airport, and is called the Airport Rail Station.
, Rajlaxmi Complex, Amir Complex and the Syed Grand Centre, or run across the highway through the heavy traffic.
Streets in sectors 1 and 4 get submerged under water during light rainfall. Streets in sectors 3, 4, 6, 10 and 14 are mostly in bad shape owing to work-in-progress renovation. All streets in Uttara are wide enough for two cars to pass. Walkways exist on broader roads; alleyways do not have any walkways.
, Uttara had a population of 345,097. According to 1991 figures, males constitute 54.41% of the population and females 45.59%, and about 60% of the thana's population are adults. Uttara has an average literacy rate of 61% (7+ years).
Administrative divisions of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is divided as follows#divisions 7 #districts 64 #subdistricts #Union ParishadsDhaka City has 90 wards and 725 mahallas.-Former regions:...
of Dhaka, 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...
. The name derives from the 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...
word "ut'tar" meaning "north". It lies on the road to Gazipur
Gazipur, Dhaka Division
Gazipur is a town located within the Gazipur Sadar sub-district of Gazipur District in the Dhaka Division of Bangladesh.Gazipur consists of 9 wards and 31 mahallas with an area of 49.32 km²...
, and adjoins Shahjalal International Airport.
Uttara is primarily planned square grid residential suburb, geographically elevated from southern Dhaka saving it from floods, and is divided into several "sectors". The residents are generally from an (higher-middle-class) or middle-class background, who favor its distance from the congestion and pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
of Dhaka city. Indeed, well into the 1990s, Uttara retained its quiet, leafy suburban character. In recent years, with the increasing influx of people moving in from the city, Uttara has evolved into a bustling town, similar to other areas of Dhaka such as Gulshan, 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...
, Banani
Banani
Banani is a village in Mali, populated by the Dogon people.....
, 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...
, Mohammadpur
Mohammadpur Thana
Mohammadpur is a Thana of Dhaka District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Though initially Mohammadpur has grown as a residential area, nowadays many commercial places can be found here. The area has become more crowded than it was before...
or Dhanmondi. The suburb is well-served by a proliferation of shopping complexes, shops, and schools & colleges.
Economy
The middle class demography has attracted the establishment of market complexes like Rajlaxmi Complex, Amir Complex, RAJUK Commercial Complex, and the likes. The increase in the upper middle class population gave rise to demand for posher shopping outlets, giving rise to shopping centres like North Tower, Polwel Carnation, Mascot Plaza and RAK Tower.United Airways
United Airways
United Airways is an airline of Bangladesh. Other airlines of similar name are:*United Airways Limited, a British airline that operated between 1934 and 1935*British United Airways, an airline operating from 1960 to 1970*British United Island Airways...
has its head office in the Uttara Tower in Uttara Thana. RAK Tower & ABC Tower of ABC Developer Company are at Jashimuddin Avenue in Uttara Thana. Local super market chains such as Agora, Shop 'n Save, Nandan Megashop and Family Needs operate in Uttara. Also, the leading American car manufacturer Ford has it's showroom situated in Abdullahpur.
Aarong
Aarong
Aarong is a chain of retail outlets located in the major cities of Bangladesh. It is an enterprise of BRAC, the largest non-governmental development organisation in the world. In the Bangla language, "Aarong" means a village fair...
has it's State of the art
State of the art
The state of the art is the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time. It also refers to the level of development reached at any particular time as a result of the latest methodologies employed.- Origin :The earliest use of the term...
, 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) flagship outlet on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
Uttara hosts an array of food outlets and educational institutions to cater to the residents. International fast food,ice cream and coffee chains like KFC, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
, Pizza Inn
Pizza Inn
Pizza Inn is a restaurant chain and international food franchise, specializing in American-style pizza. The company is based in the Dallas suburb of The Colony, Texas....
, Coffee World
Coffee World
Coffee World is a premium specialty coffee chain that offers a range of hot and iced coffees with fresh complementary foods such as waffles and sandwiches. It is a part of Global Franchise Architects . Coffee world operates in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Réunion, and Thailand.-History:In late...
, Barista Lavazza, Mövenpick
Mövenpick Ice Cream
Mövenpick Ice Cream is a brand of ice cream of Swiss origin produced by the Nestlé corporation. In April 2003, Nestlé bought the international rights for Mövenpick ice cream, and an independent business unit called Swiss Premium Ice Cream was created...
, Chicken King and Mainland China are in Uttara, to add to local chains such as Kabab Factory, Shikara, La-Bamba, Sangam, Helvetia, Captain's World, Best Fried Chicken, Fire on Ice, Dhakai Khabar, Aroma, Xinziang, and American Burger.
Being in close proximity to the international airport, Uttara has a few hotels and bed-and-breakfasts as well.
Education
Just like any other residential area in Dhaka, Uttara too has a high number of educational institutions. They are:- Armed Police Battalion High School
- Aga Khan School, Dhaka
- Bangladesh International Tutorial (BIT)
- Scholastica schoolScholastica schoolScholastica is a private English immersion school in Dhaka, Bangladesh, offering preschool to A-level courses.-History:Scholastica was set up in 1977 in response to the need for an organized school leaving course using English as the medium of instruction but emphasizing equal proficiency in Bangla...
- South Breeze SchoolSouth Breeze SchoolSouth Breeze School is an educational institution located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The medium of instruction is the English language. Founded in 1986 by principal Zeenat Chowdhury, the original campus was located in [uttara]]...
- Sunbeams SchoolSunbeams SchoolSunbeams School is a private school located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was one of the first schools to establish English as the medium of instruction in Bangladesh. Up until 1994 the school provided education through Grade 5, but Sunbeams is now conducting 'A' Level exams as well.Sunbeams School was...
- Blooming Flower School
- Belmont International School
- Delhi Public School
- Don Bosco School and College
- Euro International School
- MaHaad International School
- International Turkish Hope School, DhakaInternational Turkish Hope School, Dhaka- History :International Turkish Hope School was established in Dhaka in 1996. The President of Turkey, H.E. Mr. Süleyman Demirel, did official inauguration of the school in March 1997....
- SunnydaleSunnydaleSunnydale, California is the fictional setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon conceived the town as a representation of a generic California city, as well as a narrative parody of the all-too-serene towns typical in traditional horror...
- Red Brick School
- Rajuk Uttara Model College
- Uttara High School
- Milestone College
- Nabab Habibullah School
- Child Plan School
- Mileshium School
Uttara is also home to Uttara University
Uttara University
Uttara University or is a private university in Uttara, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. UU has three campuses in a one-kilometer radius in Uttara, city campus in Dhanmondi and another campus in Mirpur-1.-Location:...
, Shanta Mariam University of Creative Technology, Asian University and Daffodils International University.
Travel to/from Uttara
The Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway, the largest highway in the city is a north-south highway pierces Uttara through its middle, and is the only highway that connects Uttara to the rest of the nation.Being the northernmost thana of the Dhaka metropolitan area, Uttara serves as one of the few exits of Dhaka city. Travelers exiting Uttara to outside the city will use any local buses or even taxis for short distance travels to neighboring Tongi
Tongi
Tongi is a township in Bangladesh with a population of 350,000 that hosts the Biswa Ijtema, features a BSCIC industrial area, which produces BDT 1500 crore of industrial products annually, and marks the northern border of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, since 1786...
and Gazipur
Gazipur, Dhaka Division
Gazipur is a town located within the Gazipur Sadar sub-district of Gazipur District in the Dhaka Division of Bangladesh.Gazipur consists of 9 wards and 31 mahallas with an area of 49.32 km²...
northbound on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway; long-haul travelers to northern Bangladesh will take coaches and exit northbound as well. Travelers entering the city centre can take buses, taxis or CNG-driven three-wheelers southbound on the highway. Travelers coming towards Uttara from within the city must travel on any bus that travels through Khilkhet and the airport to Uttara. Travelers coming to Uttara from northern Bangladesh must board a coach that enters Dhaka via Abdullahpur/Tongi, as most buses enter Dhaka city from the Gabtoli entry. Travelers coming from southern Bangladesh to Uttara must disembark at their designated stops and board a local bus to Uttara.
The nearest train station from Uttara is located opposite to the airport, and is called the Airport Rail Station.
Travel within Uttara
Travel within Uttara is possible on rickshaws, although rickshaws are not allowed to cross the highway. Travelers intending to travel from one side of the highway to the other must use one of the four overpasses located across Scholastica schoolScholastica school
Scholastica is a private English immersion school in Dhaka, Bangladesh, offering preschool to A-level courses.-History:Scholastica was set up in 1977 in response to the need for an organized school leaving course using English as the medium of instruction but emphasizing equal proficiency in Bangla...
, Rajlaxmi Complex, Amir Complex and the Syed Grand Centre, or run across the highway through the heavy traffic.
Streets in sectors 1 and 4 get submerged under water during light rainfall. Streets in sectors 3, 4, 6, 10 and 14 are mostly in bad shape owing to work-in-progress renovation. All streets in Uttara are wide enough for two cars to pass. Walkways exist on broader roads; alleyways do not have any walkways.
Demographics
As of the 2001 Bangladesh censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Uttara had a population of 345,097. According to 1991 figures, males constitute 54.41% of the population and females 45.59%, and about 60% of the thana's population are adults. Uttara has an average literacy rate of 61% (7+ years).