1. A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY
AN APPROACH TO IDENTIFY THE HERITAGE TRAIL OF OLD DHAKA

2. A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY
AN APPROACH TO IDENTIFY THE HERITAGE TRAIL OF OLD DHAKA
Seminar
Md Abdullah Al Farooq
ID: 111-223-052
Level: 5; Term: 2
Department of Architecture
Primeasia University
Banani, Dhaka

3. Abstract
“ a city without old building,
is like a man without memory.” _Aldo Rossi
Heritage is that which has been handed down to us from the past through our forebears,
that legacy which we have „inherited‟ from our ancestors. This heritage which we inherit
will include traditions, values, culture, language, history, lineage, bloodline, stories and
personal traits, both physical and characteristic. However it can also refer to more
tangible assets as well, such as wealth, businesses, property and land, particularly that
which has been in possession for multiple generations.
Heritage Trails are a way of encouraging people to get the best out of visiting
environments of particular cultural, natural, social and historical interest.
Dhaka‟s rich history of 400 years is something that cannot be forgotten because it has
gone through a lot. Be it the Nawabs with their wonderful architecture to the British rule
and to the more recent Liberation War, Old Dhaka has seen it all and is still there to tell
the tale. The old part of Dhaka city is full of heritage which marks our ancient Bengali
culture.
In Old Dhaka those architectural heritages are located in different places. That is why
visitors face more problem to visit those site. A trail can be designed to assist people
visiting a single building or location
I

4. Acknowledgement
It has been a great experience writing this Seminar. It would not be possible
without those no of support of individuals to whom I am sincerely grateful. I would
like to express my deepest gratitude to my subject coordinator Ms. Kashfia Khan
for her valuable guidance, continuous support and encouragement.
I would like to thanks all those kind individuals who have supported me during my
field study in Old Dhaka.
There are some resource persons and individuals who have arranged some vital
study materials from different sources. I would like to thank-Mr. Abu Sayeed M
Ahmed President I.A.B and Head of The Department of Architecture Asia Pacific
University, Dhaka And Mr. Taimur Islam for their help and support. Finally. I like to
thank all my classmates, my head of the department Mr. Mohammad Ali Naqi and
all of my teachers for their great support.
Md Abdullah Al Farooq
August ,2015
II

5. Keywords
I. Abstract
II. Acknowledgement
 Introduction
Heritage Trail
 Historical Perspective
Survey result
 Important historical structures of old Dhaka
 Informal Heritage Management
 Urbanism And Heritage
 Comparative Analysis
 The Trail
 Economic Impact
 Trail Maintenance, Security And Cleanliness
 Qualitative Values Of The Trail
 Inference
III

6. Content
I. Abstract I
II. Acknowledgement II
III. Keywords III
 Introduction 1
Heritage Trail 2
 Historical Perspective 3-9
 Pre Mughal settlement
Mughal settlement
Post Mughal transformation
 Location Analysis 10
Survey result 11-13
 Existing Fabrics
 Urban Pattern and spatial Division
 Structure and People
 Historical building and site
 Important historical structures of old Dhaka 14-20
 Informal Heritage Management 21-22
 Urbanism And Heritage 23-31
 Comparative Analysis 32-40
 The Trail 41-42
 Economic Impact 42
 Trail Maintenance, Security And Cleanliness 43-45
 Community Participation In Heritage Management
 Qualitative Values Of The Trail 45
 Inference 46

7. INTRODUCTION
“ conservation not just making a museum of old buildings; it is making the
best use of the existing elements to maintain and perpetuate the spirit of old
city.” _Norman Foster
Dhaka. Ancient edifices are the material evidence of our past. In addition to
architectural, aesthetic, historic, and iconic value, these have great emotional value
as well. They are the symbols of our cultural identity and part of the heritage.
Preservation of architectural heritage is immensely important to preserve cultural
heritage for a society that values its past and cares for the posterity.
Bangladesh is a treasury of history and ancient architecture. Most of those
architecture located in Dhaka. The historical old place of Dhaka is known as Old
Dhaka or Puran Dhaka. The existence of a settlement in the area that is now Dhaka
dates from the 7th century. This city was ruled by Buddhist empire, mughals, British
and at last after liberation war it become the capital city of Bangladesh. Old Dhaka
has seen it all and is still there to tell the tale. The old part of Dhaka city is full of
heritage which marks our ancient Bengali culture.
But now a days those heritages are not properly preserved . As those heritage
buildings are located in different places those are not linked up with each other.
That‟s why when tourists come to visit Old Dhaka they don‟t get a proper guideline
too visit these. Since visitors are not being able to visit our heritage, our heritage is
the suppressed after. So if we can make a trail of the heritages of Old Dhaka tourists
can able to see the Architectural Heritage easily and the world will come to know
about our heritage and our economy will have a good impact from this.
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8. Heritage Trail
Heritage
Heritage is the full range of our inherited traditions, monuments, objects, and
culture. Most important, it is the range of contemporary activities, meanings, and
behaviors that we draw from them.
Heritage includes, but is much more than preserving, excavating, displaying, or
restoring a collection of old things. It is both tangible and intangible, in the sense that
ideas and memories--of songs, recipes, language, dances, and many other elements of
who we are and how we identify ourselves--are as important as historical buildings and
archaeological sites.
Heritage is a contemporary activity with far-reaching effects. It can be an element of
far-sighted urban and regional planning. It can be the platform for political recognition,
a medium for intercultural dialogue, a means of ethical reflection, and the potential basis
for local economic development. It is simultaneously local and particular, global and
shared.
Heritage is an essential part of the present we live in--and of the future we will build.
Heritage Trail
According to Chow (2002), “heritage trail” refers to “a route which leads travelers to the
heritage assets existing in an area”. “Heritage corridor”, “heritage walk” and “historical
trail” are often interchangeably used to refer to the same thing. In most cases, a theme
is set to the trail so as to serve its purposes for promoting heritage tourism, educating
on history of a place or a person, or appreciating heritage values of a place. Heritage
Trails are a way of encouraging people to get the best out of visiting environments of
particular cultural, natural, social and historical interest. A trail can be designed to assist
people visiting a single building or location. It can help visitors understand a particular
village, town, or area of interest and, on the larger scale; it can be laid out across an
entire county, or region.
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9. Historical Perspective
Dhaka City across Buriganga River - a painting by Frederick William Alexander de
Fabeck in 1861 Dhaka, formerly spelled as Dacca in English, is the capital and one
of the oldest cities of Bangladesh. The history of Dhaka begins with the existence
of urbanized 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. After the Sena dynasty,
Dhaka was successively ruled by the Turkic and Afghan governors descending
from the Delhi Sultanate before the arrival of the Mughals in 1608. After Mughals,
British ruled the region for over 150 years until the independence of India. In 1947,
Dhaka became the capital of the East Bengal province under the dominion of
Pakistan. After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, Dhaka became the
capital of the new state.
Pre-mughal Settlements(before1608)
Before the Mughal period, Dhaka was successively ruled by Sena, Turkish and
Afghans. Dhaka wasa trading center for the pre-Mughal capital located at Sonar-
gaon and consisted of a few market centers, along with few localities comprising
craftsmen and businessmen. All of these localities were confined with in the
circuit of the old Dholai Khal. The tantis (weaver) and the sankharis (shell
cutter)are believed to be the oldest in habitants of the city, and they still live in the
area. In most of the localities, the houses of local craftsmen had small factories.
The row houses of Shankhari Bazaar had an arrow frontage of 6–10 feet, depth
of 30–40 feet, and a height up to 4 stories. Tanti Bazaar also had similar types of
settlements. The linear organization of houses at both sides along narrow lanes
resulted in very compact settlement patterns.
Figure 1 Layout of Shankhari Bazaar in the Late 18th Century
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10. Figure 2 Pre-Mughal Dhaka.
Table1 Localities and settlements in old Dhaka
before the Mughal Period.
Type Settlement
Market centers Sankhari Bazaar (shell cutter's locality), Tanti Bazaar
(weaver's market), Laksmi Bazaar, Bangla Bazaar
Localities of
craftsmen and
businessmen
Kumartoli (potters„ locality), Patuatuli (jute-silk painters„
area), Sutrapur (carpenters„ area), Bania Nagar
(traders„ area), Jalua Nagar (fishermen's area)
Fort Old Afghan fort
Religious areas Dhakeshwari Temple, Jaykali Temple, Lukshminarayan
Temple, Binat Bibi Mosque
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11. Mughal Settlements (1608–1764)
During the Mughal period, Dhaka became an important metropolis and capital of
Bengal because of its administrative, commercial, and infrastructural
importance. It started to extend west ward up to Sarai Begampur and north ward
to Badshahi Bagh. Under Shaista Khan(1662–1679), the city extended to 12
miles in length and 8 milesin breadth and served as a home to nearly 1,000,000
people. Local roads were filled with pedestrians, and river and canals were the
important traffic conduit of the city. Therefore, landing platforms at the river bank,
locally known as ghats, were the significant feature of Mughal City. Several
bridges in Mughal Dhaka are completely lost now. The city was divided in to a
number of neighborhoods, which were a cluster of houses webbed with intricate
narrow lanes. These narrow lanes were paved with bricks in 1677–1679. Two
principal roads can be found: one that ran parallel to the river from Victoria Park
to the western fringe of the city, and another that extended from Victoria Park to
Tejgaon. The inter sections of narrow lanes formed wide and irregular nodes that
acted as a civic space at the local level. The sense of enclosure of these spaces
was very intimate in scale. Some of the local nodes turned into chowks (squares)
of mohallahs (neighborhood), whereas other nodes were rather intimate in nature
and held local social gatherings.
Dhaka lacked any kind of corporate or municipal institutions during the Mughal
period. A magnificent view of the Mughal buildings was observed from the river
because the river front was the most dominant part of Mughal City that can be
approached through the river route
Figure 3 Land Use Plan of Dhaka during the Mughal Period
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12. Figure 4 Demarcation between pre-Mughal and Mughal Dhaka
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13. The Residential Zone
The areas to the south and southwest of the
Old Fort up to the river bank grew mainly as
commercial areas, where as the areas to the
north and northeast grew as residential areas
(Chowdhury and Faruqui,1991). The
neighboring localities of Lalbagh Fort, namely,
Rahmatganj, Kanserhata, Urdu Bazaar, Bakshi
Bazaar, Atishkhana, Shaikh Saheb's Bazaar,
Chaudhury Bazaar, Qasimnagar, Bagh
Hossainuddin, Nawabganj, and Enayatganj,
including Qazirbaghand Hazari Bagh,were the
Mughal colonies of officers. The entire area of
Bakshi Bazaar and Dewan Bazaar served as
the residence of provincial ministers, dewans,
and secretaries. Large palatial buildings were
found at Becharam Dewri, Aga Sadeq Dewri,
Ali Naqi Dewri, and Amanat Khan Dewri. The
Mughal elites, including princes, had palaces
along the riverfront.
Figure 5 Chota Katra from the River Bankin 1875. Source:
Department of Archeology, Bangladesh.
Figure 7 South Wing from the Court Yard of Bara Katra in
1870. Source: British Museum.
Service Zone
The cottage industries and trading areas of the
pre-Mughal period and some other localities
were used to house the major part of the city's
low-class population that consisted of artisans,
laborers, and traders. Pre-Mughal localities,
which were confined with in the circuit of the
old Dholai Khal Canal, were turned into the
service zone of MughalCity. These localities
were almost segregated from the high-class
residential areas.
Central Business District
During the Mughal period, Chauk Bazaar was
developed as the main business center near
Bara-Katra. The market was well located to
serve both upper and lower-class residential.
areas. Chauk Bazaar was connected to
Sadarghat (a landing platform at the bank of
Buriganga River) by a road running parallel to
the river. Another commercial center was
located at Bangla Bazaar, which was the main
shopping center before the Mughal period
Figure 6 Hussaini Dalanin 1982. Source: Aga Khan Visual
Archive
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14. Recreational Zone
The Mughal elites had garden houses for
recreation, festiv- ities, and receptions. In the
present Ramna area, a number of two-or three-
storied mansions with spacious reception halls
can be found. Garden scan also be found at
Hazaribagh, Qazirbagh, Lalbagh, Bagh Chand
Khan, Bagh Hosainuddin, Bagh Musa Khan,
Arambagh, Rajarbagh, Malibagh, and Bagh- I -
Badshahi.
Table 2 Structures in Old Dhaka during the Mughal
period.
Type Monument
Mosques
andother
religious
buildings
Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque, Kartalab Khan's
Mosque, Star Mosque, Armanitola Mosque, Nawab Shaista
Khan's Mosque, Chauk Bazaar Mosque, Farrukhsiyar
Mosque, Hussaini Dalan, etc.
Tombs Tomb of Bibi Pari, Bibi Champa, etc.
Caravan sari Bara Katra and Choto Katra
Fortresses Incomplete Fortressat Lalbagh
Bridges Tanti Bazaar Bridge, Masandi Bridge, Narinda Bridge, Amir
Khan's Bridge, Srichak Bridge, Babu Bazaar Bridge, Rai
Shaheb's Bazaar Bridge, Nazir Bazaar Bridge, Chand
Khan's Bridge
Figure 8 Kartalab Khan Mosque in 1982
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15. Post- Mughal Transformation
During the British period (1765–1947), the old Mughal town did not expand, but it
under went some forms of renewal. The medieval Dhaka transformed into a modern
city with metal roads, open spaces, street lights, and piped water supply. Some
roads within the old city were widened, and new buildings were erected near Victoria
Park for administrative and educational purposes. The Old Fort was turned into a jail.
However, most of the residential quarters were within the historic core; the river front
and the area near Victoria Park was a prized location for high-class residents. After
the partition of British-India in 1947, Dhaka served as the capital of then East
Pakistan. After the liberation in 1971, Dhaka became the capital of Bangladesh.
Dhaka continued to expand farther to the north. The old city has gradually become
congested because of unplanned growth. Since 1947, most parts of the area have
been losing residential quality and transforming rapidly into whole sale and retail
areas. Historic buildings have been subdivided for multiple uses, and densities have
risen to inordinate levels because of encroachment and growth of informal
settlements around. Cannals, such as Dholai Khal and Begun bari Khal, that worked
as important traffic conduit are filled up to create land for new settlements.
Figure 9 Land Use of Dhaka in 1910 and 1945 and Land Use of Dhaka in 1962
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16. Location Analysis
Puran Dhaka, more commonly referred to as Old Dhaka, is the original part of the
bustling Dhaka Metropolitan City which serves as the capital of Bangladesh. Old
Dhaka dates back to the 7th century, when the area was under the control of the
Buddhist kingdom of Kamarupa which ruled for almost 800 years between 350 and
1140 CE. Age-old traditions and a sense of community among the residents of
Puran Dhaka have remained particularly strong as the rest of the city continues to
modernize. Many agree that the customs of the residents of this ancient settlement
are different from general Bengali culture and to explore the streets of Old Dhaka is
to take a journey back in time. The old Dhaka is located in central Bangladesh at 23dgre
42'52.97"N 90dgre24'14.47" E, on the eastern banks of the Buriganga River. The city lies on
the lower reaches of the Ganges Delta.
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17. Survey Result
Existing Fabric
The old city is currently considered the historic core and commercial nerve of
Dhaka. The existing city web is very difficult to maintain because organic growth has
remained apparently unaffected by coerced geometry, and many design qualities
are inherent in such at own scape. Because of changes in its course, the river bank
has now moved away from the Mughal settlements, and the newly built settlements
around the artifacts create obstacles to the visibility of historic structures from the
river and different parts of the old city.
Urban Pattern And Spatial Divisions
Socio-cultural dynamics in the area resulted in the formation of a spontaneous
neighborhood, known as para mahalla, which acts as the basic spatial unit of the
organic pattern in the urban web. The basic pattern evolved a hierarchy of spaces:
courtyards, narrow lanes, nodes, and bazaars that manifested the socio-cultural
quality of urban life. The formation of major streets is significantly related to the
course of the river. Documentation of the informal units of the urban web is
necessary and should cover primary measurements, including height, nature of
internal divisions, and use. A comprehensive strategy may be required to determine
the different levels of interventions for different spatial divisions on the basis of their
town scape value. Ghats (landing plat- forms) at river banks establish a significant
linkage between streets and rivers. Typical lanes and the lanes of old Dhaka, in
particular, are extremely narrow, with curves that often create difficulties for
Modern transport but offer changing views during pedestrian movement. The sreets
are typically accompanied by urban services. The Buck land embankment that once
used to offer recreational facilities for quality urban life has under gone changes
because of the growth of informal settlements.
Structure and People
The residential density of old Dhaka is highest in the country. If the number of the
people working in the area is included the gross density will be much higher. A
conservative estimate of person room ratio was 7.5 in the residential quarters of old
Dhaka (SFYP, 1990). Most of the structures stand shoulder to shoulder without the
minimum of open space necessary for light and air. The area seems very dense in
terms of population and buildings but it is more apparent than real. The average
FAR in Chawk was found to be only 0.9. Old Dhaka lacks in open spaces and parks.
There are less than 17 acres of open space for over 10 lac people. These too are
being impinged upon by hawkers and unscrupulous group or individuals.
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18. Figure 10 Mughal Monuments in Old Dhaka: 1. Tanti Bazaar, 2. Shakhari Bazaar, 3. Lakhsmi Bazaar, 4. Binat Bibi
Mosque, 5. Old Fort, 6. Dhakeshwari Temple, 7. Khan Mohammad Mridha's Mosque, 8. Lalbaghfort, 9. Bara Katra,
10. Chota Katra, 11. Chauk Bazaar Mosque, 12. Star Mosque, 13. Kartalab Khans Mosque, 14. Hussaini Dalan.
Historic Buildings And Sites
The Mughal buildings stand in great contrast to post- Mughal structures. The
Mughal buildings have almost become isolated elements in the present fabric.
Very few of the artifacts are preserved: most of them exist in deplorable conditions
and are gradually deteriorating because of lack of maintenance. Architectural
conservation of these historic artifacts is obviously needed. The historic structures
are hidden within newly developed dense settlements that create a visual obstacle
and poor access to the artifacts (See Figs.10 and Table3). .
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19. Table 3 Existing condition of some historic structures in the present fabric.
Mughal Structure Legal status Accessibility
and visibility
Physical condition Present use
Shakhari Bazaar RAJUK listed Poor condition with
alterations Extremely
dilapidated
Shop house and
Extensions
Dhakeshwari Temple
maintenance
RAJUK listed Good Requires proper Original use
Old Fort Not listed as a
heritage building
Accessible but not
visible from a
distance because
of the newly built
surrounding
structures
Existing with several
original alterations to
the structure
Central Jail
Khan Mohammad
Mridha's Mosque
RAJUK listed Accessible but no
visible from a
distance because
of the newly built
surrounding
structures
Preserved and
maintained by the
Department of
Archeology
Originally used as
a Mosque.
Lalbaghfort DOA and RAJUK
listed
Accessible but not
visible from a
distance because
of newly built
surrounding
structures
Preserved and
maintained by the
Department of
Archeology .Some
portions are still
encroached
Museum
BaraKatra DOA and RAJUK
listed
Extremely poor Extremely
dilapidated
condition, with inner
court and
surroundings
extensively
encroached
Subdivided
and used as
a warehouse
School,shop
residence
Star Mosque RAJUK listed Accessible but not
visible from a
distance because
of newly built
surrounding
structures
Existing with several
alterations to the
original structure.
Requires proper
preservation and
maintenance
Originally used as
a Mosque.
Chota Katra DOA and RAJUK
listed
Extremely poor Extremely
dilapidated
condition, with inner
court and
surroundings
extensively
encroached
Subdivided and
used as a wareho
Schoo l,shop,use
residence
Hussaini Dalan RAJUK listed Accessible but not
visible from a
distance because
of newly built
surrounding
structures
Existing with several
alterations to the
original structure.
Requires proper
preservation and
maintenance
Originally used as
the religious
center for The
Shia Community.
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20. Important Historical Structures Of Old Dhaka
Gurdwara Nanak Shahi, Dhaka
Gurdwara Nanak Shahi, Dhaka is one
of the seven known Gurdwaras in
Bangladesh. It is the most important
historic Gurdwara, commemorating the
visit of Guru Nanak in 1506-1507. This
Gurdwara is said to have been built in
1830. Besides, the founder Guru, Sri
Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of
the Sikhs also stayed at Dhaka for
over two years. Fig 11
Figure 11 Gurdwara Nanak Shahi, Dhaka
Dhakeshwari Temple, Dhaka
The state-owned Dhakeshwari National
Temple in Dhaka is considered to be the
most important Hindu place of worship in
Bangladesh. Situated just southwest of
Dhaka University‟s Salimullah Hall. The
name Dhakeshwari means “Goddess of
Dhaka” and it is believed by many that the
city was named in honor of the temple,
whereas others believe the temple was
named after the city. Popular legend has it
that the temple was built by King Ballal Sen
of the Sena dynasty in the 12th century. This
temple is a hub of socio-cultural as well as
religious activity. Each year, the largest
celebration of Durga Puja is held at this
Temple. Janmashthami procession event
also start from here in each year. Fig 12
Figure 12 Dhakeshwari Temple, Dhaka
Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque is located
at Old Dhaka, some 500m west of Lalbagh
Fort. According to two Persian inscriptions,
one over the central archway and the other
over the central Mihrab, the mosque was
built during the rule of Deputy Governor of
Dhaka, Farrukh Siyar, by a Khan
Mohammad Mirza, who could have been
the architect. The construction was orders
by a Qazi Ibadullah during 1704–05 AD. It is
built on a raised platform which is 5.8m
from the ground level. To get a good view of
this walled mosque, you have to enter the
main gate off the main road. People of any
religion and women are welcome inside.
Figure 13 Khan Mridha Mosque, Dhaka
Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque, Dhaka
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21. Lalbagh Fort, Dhaka
Lalbagh Fort is the most popular and renowned fort and a great signature of art
by Mughal Empire in Bangladesh. It is also known as Fort Aurangabad. It is
located in Lalbagh of old Dhaka, hence named so. It is situated by the bank of
the river Buriganga in a rich red soil. Its an incomplete structure by a Mughal
prince named Muhammad Azam (third son of Aurangazeb). He started the work
of the fort in 1678 during his vice-royalty in Bangladesh (Previous Bengal). He
stayed in Bengal for 15 months and remain incomplete he went back to Delhi.
Later then Shaista Khan came here as subahdar and in 1684 after death of his
daughter Pari Bibi he returnend back from here. After Shaista Khan it lost its
popularity and named as Lalbagh.
Figure 14 Lalbagh Kella, Dhaka
Hussaini Dalan, Dhaka
The Hussaini Dalan was originally built during the later half of the Mughal rule
(17th century) in Dhaka. According to Taylor (1839),
The principal Mahommedan places of worship are the Edgah and Hossainee
Delaun, the latter is said to have been built by a person named Mir Murad, who
held the Darogahship of the Nawarrah Mehals, and had charge of the public
buildings in the time of Sultan Muhammad Azam. According to tradition, “Mir
Murad had a vision of Imam Hussain erecting a 'taziah khannah' or house of
mourning which led to the construction of Hussaini Dalan. It was built during the
Subedari of Prince Shah Shuja (r. 1639–1647 and 1652–1660) . It was built as the
Imambara or house of the imam (religious leader) of the Shia community. Hussaini
Dalan was the venue for majlis or gatherings held during the month of Muharram,
tenth day religious gathering commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein, the
grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (“Peace Be Upon Him“).
Figure 15 Hussaini Dalan, Dhaka
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22. Chawkbazar Shahi Mosque, Dhaka
Chawkbazar Shahi Mosque (also Chawk Mosque)
in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is located in the Chowk
Bazaar area of the old town of Dhaka, south of the
current city centre. The mosque was constructed in
1676 by Subahdar Shayesta Khan.The mosque is
called Shahi Mosque because,it is founded by
Subahdar Shayesta Khan. The mosque is built
above a raised platform. The three domed mosque
above the platform, now transformed into a multi-
storied structure was originally a copy of Shaista
Khan's another three domed mosque at the Mitford
Hospital compound near the Buriganga River.
Figure 16 Chawkbazar Shahi Mosque, Dhaka
Bara Katra, Dhaka
Boro Katra was built between 1644 and 1646 AD to
be the official residence of Mughal prince Shah
Shuja, the second son of emperor Shah Jahan. The
prince endowed it to his diwan and the builder of the
serai, Abul Qasim. The word Katra may have
originated from Arabic word Katara which means
colonnaded building.
It is a historical and architectural monument located
in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a palatial building
dating to the reign of the Mughal dynasty in the
Bengal region. It is situated to the south of Chowk
Bazar close to the north bank of the river
Buriganga..
Figure 18 Choto Katra, Dhaka
Choto Katra, Dhaka
Choto Katra which means the Small Katra. It built
during Mughal's regime in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It
was constructed in 1663 by Subahdar Shaista Khan
and the architectural work was done by him. Choto
Katra is rectangular in a plan of 101m X 92m. It has
to gateways, one to the north and the other to the
south. Basically it was built to accommodate some
officials and Shaista Khan's expanding family. It has
the tomb of Champa Bibi, whose history and
identity is mysterious. The small mosque within its
boundary has disappeared. Choto Katra is slightly
smaller than Bara Katra, but similar in plan.
Figure 17 Bara Katra, Dhaka
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23. Star Mosque, Dhaka
Star Mosque is located at Armanitola in Old dhaka, about 350m north of the
Armenian Church. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions of Old Dhaka. The
mosque is not dated by any inscription. It is known that one Mirza Golam Pir, whose
ancestors had come to Dhaka and settled in Mohalla Ale Abu Sayeed (present-day
Armanitola), erected it. Mirza Golam Pir died in 1860, and hence the date of
construction of the mosque may conveniently be placed in the first half of the 19th
century The mosque, both inside and outside, is decorated with mosaic. The outer
wall between the doors are decorated with the motif of Mount Fuji on glazed tiles
and a crescent-and-star design decorates the upper part of the facade. Hundreds of
blue stars have been created on the domes of white marble. All over the mosque
the motif of stars dominate the decoration and so the mosque is called the Star
Mosque (Tara Masjid in Bengali).
Figure 19 Star Mosque, Dhaka
The Armenian Church , Dhaka
The Armenian Church is a historically significant architectural monument situated in
the Armanitola area of old Dhaka, Bangladesh. The church bears testimony to the
existence of a significant Armenian community in the region in the 17th and 18th
centuries. Following the domination of their homeland by Persian powers of the
time, Armenians were sent by their new rulers to the Bengal region for both political
and economic reasons.Armenians came to Dhaka for business and profitability in
those businesses convinced some to move permanently to Bangladesh.
In 1781 the now famous Armenian Church was built on Armenian Street in
Armanitola, then a thriving business district. The site was an Armenian graveyard
before the church was built, and the tombstones that have survived serve as a
chronicle of Armenian life in the area. Agaminus Catachik, an Armenian, gave away
the land to build the church.
Figure 20 The Armenian Church, Dhaka
17

24. Ahsan Manzil , Dhaka
Ahsan Manzil is an attractive tourist spot in
Dhaka. It is one of the most meaningful
architectural heritage of Bangladesh. It is
situated in Old Dhaka on the bank of the river
Buriganga. The area is called Kumartuli in
Islampur.It Known as pink palace. The pink
palace was actually built by Nawab Sir Abdul
Gani . The construction of this palace was
started in 1859 and was completed in 1872
and was reconstructed after the tornado of
1888 when it bought by landlord of Dhaka
Khwaja Alimullah. After death of Alimullah his
son Khwaja Abdul Gani made a great flourish
to the property, and named it “Ahsan Manjil”
on his son Ahsan Ullah. Now it has been
established as a museum. People have the
opportunity to visit the museum and here you
will find some historical and archeological
things.It has 23 galleries displaying portraits,
furniture and other objects used by the
Nawab.
Shakhari Bazaar, Dhaka
Shakhari Bazaar is one of the oldest mohallas in
Puran Dhaka, located near the intersection of
Islampur Road and Nawabpur Road; the two
main arteries of the old city and only a block
away from the Buriganga River. It‟s a little
mohalla that shares a long history of more than
400 years with Dhaka city itself. Shakhari Bazaar
stretches along a narrow lane, lined with thin
slices of richly decorated brick buildings, built
during the late Mughal or Colonial period.
Despite rampant modifications, accretion,
extension over time, even redevelopment, many
still bear the testimony of a rich tradition. The
mohalla belongs to the Shakhari Community,
who borrowed their name from Shakha, a richly
decorated bangle crafted from slices of Shankha
or conch-shells. Shakha is the symbol that
indicates that a Hindu woman is married.Figure 22 Shakhari Bazaar, Dhaka
Figure 21 Ahsan Manjil, Dhaka
18

25. Northbrooke Hall(Lalkuth|), Dhaka
Northbrooke Hall, an elegant building
popularly known as „Lalkuthi‟ for its deep
red colour, is situated at Farashganj,
Dhaka on the north bank of the Buriganga
River. It was originally built in late 19th
century as a Town Hall and named after
Lord Northbrooke, Viceroy of India (1872-
1876). His administration was marked by
agrarian unrest in Bengal.
Figure 25 Rose Garden, Dhaka
Figure 23 Lalkuthi, Dhaka
Ruplal House, Dhaka
Ruplal house(rooplal house) is located at
Farashganj, just beside the bank of the
buriganga river. 'Rooplal House' was built
by Armenian Jamindar Aratun in 1825. It
was bought by Rooplal Das and his
brother Roghunath Das in 1835. They
renovated this house hiring Martin and
company, an architectural firm of Calcutta.
Today, the Ruplal House is occupied by
local spice and vegetable merchants and a
colony of unauthorized squatters.
Figure 24 Ruplal House, Dhaka
Rose Garden, Dhaka
The Rose Garden Palace is a mansion
and garden in Old Dhaka. The Rose
Garden Palace was built by a Hindu
zamindar Hrikesh Das in the late 19th
century. The palace was bought by Khan
Bahadur Kazi Abdur Rashid from Hrikesh
in 1936 and renamed the building Rashid
Manzil. His eldest son Kazi Mohammed
Bashir (Humayun) who carried his name
and fame until this generation. The Rose
Garden Palace is situated at Tikatuli near
the Baldha Garden which is in Gopibug
area. The exact location is at the K.M Das
Lane of Tikatuli.
19

26. Chamely House, Dhaka
Chamely House also called Chummery House, was built in 1920. This English
cottage type building is located in Dhaka opposite the high court building. It was
designated to be the residence of unmarried British women officials working in
Dhaka. Although fairly old, it still retains its original architectural form. The building
served as a hostel of girl students of the University of Dhaka for some time. During
the Pakistan period and for some time after independence of Bangladesh, it was
used as headquarters of the Public Service Commission.In 1985, the building was
handed over to the Centre for Integrated Rural Development of Asia and the Pacific
(CIRDAP) and the building is now known as the CIRDAP House.
Figure 26 Chamely House, Dhaka
20

27. Informal Heritage Management
In traditional neighborhoods, communities may have lived for generations, in some
cases for hundreds of years. Over the course of time, they form a deep sense of
belonging to the place. This deep attachment to place is directly related to heritage
and comes through in different forms in heritage conservation. The importance of this
belonging and attachment is increasingly recognized in the heritage conservation
process. In other cases, this attachment to the local heritage is contested and the
meaning associated with heritage diverse, which formal conservation effort often fails
to take into consideration. This in turn makes the heritage „lifeless‟, even if it is
conserved.
The benefit of this attachment is evident in cases where the community is directly
involved in heritage management. Active involvement and support of the community
in the heritage management process ensures that the heritage enclaves are protected
from dislocation, demolition, and unplanned development. Engelhardt211 stressed the
importance: “….with the loss of its traditional caretakers, a site becomes an increased
burden on the state or is left at the mercy of land speculators who have no long-term
commitment to the site and therefore no interest in preserving the site for sustainable
development.”
The community involvement in the heritage management process is critical,
especially for the survival of the intangible elements, as they are carried on by the
community. Continuity of the social structure ensures the continuity of heritage. The
Nara Document 212 asserts: “Particularly important are efforts to ensure that attributed
values are respected, and that their determination included efforts to build, as far as
possible, a multidisciplinary and community consensus concerning these values.”
The cultural landscapes in the historic quarters are complex, with many interwoven
sociocultural values in multiple layers like a palimpsest. While some of these values
are well-expressed, others do not find clear expression. Clarke and Johnston213 state:
“Giving a voice to these unspoken values will be very important. And finding ways to
bring these voices into the management processes is another challenge.”
Exceptions have seen the living heritages turn into „museum‟-like places. Many
contemporary conservation efforts have seen the success of a participatory „bottom
up‟ approach involving the community. Of the different stakeholders involved, the
community should have the priority when it comes to what is of heritage value and
thus conserved. In many of the traditional neighborhoods, the community actively
participates in the heritage management process, albeit informally.
21

28. In the developing countries of Asia, the conservation milieu is still top-down in most
cases. This makes it important to study and understand the informal heritage
management approaches used in the traditional neighborhoods. Over the last few
decades, there has been a clear shift in ideas in contemporary heritage management
approaches, compared to what may be called „traditional‟ management approaches
as shown in Table 4:
Table 4: Traditional and contemporary management
approaches
Traditional approaches Contemporary
approaches
Scale Small, decided by size,
small
extent
Large, set by a range of
processes, large extent
Management
Passive or limited
management; referred
to as
“Benign neglect”
The nature of
management is more
active, both in
processes and
Structure
Emphasis
Structural
completeness and
stability and persistence
of
objects
Historical contingency,
structural context and
dynamic processes.
Partnership
Cooperation not
emphasized,
competitive or isolated
“party lines”
Promotes
interdisciplinary
communication and
cooperation
Source: Table prepared by author, information adapted from Barrett & Barrett
The shift (from traditional to contemporary) in management approaches is evident
in the contemporary successful heritage management and conservation examples
recognized by numerous heritage awards (e.g. the Krishan temple conservation
project received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Distinction in
2001216).
The shift of preference is evident in the form of small to larger scale, passive to
active engagement, structural completeness to dynamic processes, etc. Barrett
and Barrett217 identify several of these issues. As several of these are directly
related to the ideas of informal heritage management, they were summarized in
Table 4.
22

29. Urbanism and heritage of old Dhaka
Urbanism of Old Dhaka :
The historic core with some of the earliest settlements of the city on the northern bank
of the River Buriganga is known as Old Dhaka. Old Dhaka‟s urbanism is a curious mix
of rural and urban elements. The urban growth is informal, unplanned and organic with
narrow meandering roads (see Figure 26, 27-1 and 27-2). Once the core of the Mughal
capital, Old Dhaka has the highest density in the city. Old Dhaka is a combination of
several traditional neighborhoods, many of them enclaves of traditional crafts and
trades. Most parts of the urban fabric dates back to the 18th and 19th century, while
others were later additions.
Figure 26 Aerial view of Old Dhaka shows the River Buriganga, river terminal and the high density
urban fabric.
23

30. Traditional Crafts and Trades Residence
Street Façade Permeability
Courtyards Narrow streets
Figure 27-1 Some basic elements of Old Dhaka Urbanism-1, Source: Author.
24

31. Street front shops Religious/Cultural festivals
Street house interface Bustling Bazaars
Mosque Lalbagfort
Figure 27-2 Some basic elements of Old Dhaka Urbanism-2, Source: Author.
25

32. While there are several areas in Old Dhaka dedicated to commercial activities related
to the river, most of the area is residential. Generally the ground level is used for
business, and the upper floors of the buildings are used as residences. Most of the
neighborhoods continue to be inhabited by the same family over several generations.
Naturally the plots and the individual residential units are subdivided several times,
defining and redefining the architecture of the area. Having influence of the Mughal,
European, Indian and rural vernacular, the architecture is unique hybrid. The heritage
of Old Dhaka is embedded in the neighborhoods and very much part of everyday life
(see Figure 27-1 and 27-2). Most of them, especially the religious heritage buildings
like mosques, continue to be in use. The River still continues to be a very important
part of the urbanism.
26

33. Heritage of Old Dhaka
The historic fabrics of Old Dhaka are particularly important because of their heritage
value. While there are several notable individual architectural heritages in the form of
mosques, schools or residences, etc., few of the Mahallas are considered heritage as
an urban ensemble, with all of their built forms, space layouts and architectural styles.
They may or may not have major individual heritage buildings per se, but the most
important factor in such urban fabric is their unique character that creates a distinct
charm and a sense of place.
Figure 28 Tangible heritage elements of Old Dhaka, source: author.
27

34. These unique characters can only be expressed through the entire range of buildings
rather than a secluded heritage building. In some cases, it is a range of traditional
vernacular residential buildings and in others it is the layout of the entire urban fabric
that creates the heritage value.
The tangible or physical elements of the traditional Mahallas include a wide array of
building forms, morphology, spatial layout, architectural styles, use of materials,
details and ornamentations (see Figure 13). The local forms, textures and architectural
styles were gradually accumulated over the years, from different influences like the
Mughal, European and traditional vernacular. They are equally rich in magnificent
community buildings like mosques as well as private residences. Most common
tangible elements of the architectural heritage are load bearing masonry and brick
columns of burnt clay brick with lime surki plaster. Walls are as thick as 2 feet with
deep set windows with operable wooden louvers, for protection against scorching sun
and monsoon rain. Semiprivate spaces like deep set colonnaded verandah with
cornice are common. The openings are generally arched, following a wide range of
architectural styles from Mughal to European. Magnificent ornamentations are
common in cornices, pillars, arches and often on the entire surface.
The physical or tangible heritage of Old Dhaka has undergone the inevitable process
of urban changes over the centuries, with individual buildings added or altered.
However, but the unique intangible elements that impart their heritage value have
remained more or less intact. The continuity of the intangible elements depends on
how actively the heritage buildings are being used. Often abstract in nature, these
unquantifiable intangible elements are spiritual assets of the communities. Figure 29
Figure 29 Intangible heritage elements of Old Dhaka, including traditional crafts,
businesses, skills and construction styles, source: author.
28

35. In the traditional mahallas, the intangible elements breathe life into the heritage
buildings. The wide range of intangible elements includes traditional crafts like
shankha, clay pottery and idol making, traditional foods like baker-khani, traditional
construction techniques like the chini-tikri and terracotta, local history, lifestyles, oral
traditions, rituals, customs and festivals, meanings, identity, collective memory, etc.
Figure 30 Tangible and Intangible elements of heritage in traditional neighborhoods
with forces of change.
Figure 30 Tangible and Intangible elements of heritage in traditional neighborhoods with forces of change, source: author.
The heritage of Old Dhaka is an intricate network of interwoven tangible and
intangible elements. The tangible and intangible elements are inseparable; the
intangible is manifested in the tangible. The heritage of the traditional neighborhoods
actually is a construct of the tangible elements in combination with the intangible
elements as Figure 30 shows. They are constructed over time accommodating
sociocultural changes, physical and economic development. With time the heritage
sphere grows and accommodates and accumulates all the tangible and intangible
elements in an inseparable palimpsest set in their traditional environments.
29

36. Heritage as Cultural, Economic and Political Resource
Several of the mahallas in Old Dhaka have sustained urban changes successfully,
and are more or less intact in their original unique character. They are richly
endowed with a range of architectural heritage. The local cultural and architectural
heritage anchors the mahallas to their place. The heritage value of the
architectural heritage is associated with the meaning assigned to them by the
local community. The meaning is constructed over time, through the vehicles of
sociocultural and religious elements.
The traditional mahallas of Old Dhaka showcase some of the best heritage of the
city within their high density urban fabrics. In Old Dhaka, heritage is an integral
part of everyday life in the mahallas. The community, the sociocultural elements
and their architectural expression in the heritage are often one and inseparable.
UNESCO defines Culture as: “The whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material,
intellectual and emotional features that characterizes a society or social group. It
includes not only arts and letters but also modes of life, the fundamental rights of
human beings, value systems, traditions and beliefs.” The heritage of Old Dhaka
is a construct of a long sociocultural process and reflects the local communities‟
social, cultural and religious practices, as well as their combined identity.
The economic activities and heritage are closely related in the mahallas. The
heritage buildings are actively used over several generations and are often places
to earn a livelihood. The heritage is living, being actively used and an integral part
of the everyday economic life of the community. This relationship actually dictates
the continuity of the heritage itself.
The survival of the local heritage is also political. As Ghosh observes: “The
historic centers generally have higher land values, and the built heritage here is
particularly vulnerable to property redevelopment pressures”. How well these
urban ensembles have survived this pressure depends entirely on the ommunity‟s
resistance to inappropriate physical development that often destroys the unique
character of place and heritage. Thus, among several mahallas, it is only in those
where the community bond is strongest, and there are active community bodies to
manage these matters, that the heritage has survived retaining their unique
character.
30

37. Cultural And Religious Events In Old Dhaka And The Continuity Of
Heritage
Cultural and religious festivals and events are important intangible elements that
ensure the continuity of the architectural heritage (see Figure 31). Their role is
particularly vital as there are numerous examples worldwide, of architectural
heritage becoming obsolete due to lack of use. They breathe life into the „living‟
architectural heritage of the mahallas as most of the festivals are celebrated in
them or centered on them..
Both cultural and religious festivals are important parts of social life in Old Dhaka.
The cultural festivals are the rich cultural legacy of the Bengali culture. The major
religious festivals are celebrated in their original flavor in Old Dhaka. The
population of Dhaka is predominantly Muslim. Most of the communities of Old
Dhaka have Muslim majorities. The main festivals of the Muslims are the two Eids,
Eid-ul-fitar and Eid-ul-Azha. Old Dhaka has some of the best heritage mosques in
the city. The Eid celebrations are directly related to the mosque. Special
congregations are held in the heritage mosques as part of the Eid celebration. The
heritage mosques also stage other important religious events like the Muharram
festival of the Arabic calendar, especially celebrated by the Shiite population.
There are also several mahallas where the Hindu community is the majority (like
Shankharibazar), and they work as the centers of celebration of main Hindu
religious festivals like Puja for the whole city. Some of the important Puja
celebrations are the Durga Puja, Janmashtami, Swarashwati Puja, Kali Puja, etc.
(see Figure 31).
Figure 31: Puja celebrations (left), Pohela Baishakh celebration (right),
The community shared open spaces or maidans are used to stage major cultural
events like the Bengali New Year celebration popularly known as Baishakhi Mela
(fair). Old Dhaka is considered one of the best places to celebrate the festival.
Other important cultural festivals are the Poush Mela (fair) and the Kite festival.
Kite flying is a popular recreation among the Dhakaiyyas272. A kite festival is
celebrated on the 29th of Poush and is known as Poush Sankranti (the end of the
Bangla month of Poush). There are several kite shops in Old Dhaka. A big turnout
of kite flyers and onlookers gather at community open spaces and roof tops. This
festival is an important part of the cultural heritage and dates back to the Mughal
period.
31

38. Comparative Analysis
The Three Rivers Heritage Trail
The 24 miles three rivers heritage trail extend along the banks of the Allegheny,
Monongahela and Ohio rivers in one of the Americans most storied cities
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The trail has been developed by friend of the riverfront
which has worked for more than 24 years to turn a riparian brownfield into a world
class trail network. I select this trail as my comparative analysis because the
services being served in this trail are well planed. The trail rout, maintenance and
security is served properly which inspired me to follow this in my old Dhaka
heritage trail.
32

39. Historical Perspective
As the steel industry decline in 1970,s Pittsburgh experienced a series of
environmental and economic transformations that resulted in cleaner flowing water
and abundance of brownfield vacated by industry. Friend of the riverfront was
formed in 1991 to take advantage of this opportunity and to reclaim the regions
riverfront for public use.
Until heavy industry took over in the last part of the 19 century rivers were part of
Pittsburgh recreational life with swimming club and public boat house lining the
bank. But this intimate recreational and social connection with the river disappeared
for more than a century when industrial development began in the 1870s, resulting
in the degradation of the environment. The river become of limits to the public
because of fencing , pollution, rail road, still mills and safety rules essential to the
region's phenomenal growth as an industrial machine.
The modern revival of Pittsburgh‟s blighted riverfronts turned a corner in 1970 with
the construction of three river stadium venue for the pirates and Steelers and a first
effort to the return the Ohio river front to the public. Then in 1976 station square
opened on the Monongahela river reclaiming 52 acres from the Pittsburgh and lake
Erie rail yard and its magnificent headquarters buildings. A river front walkway was
part of the plan.
33

40. Location Analysis
The three river heritage trail is a 24 miles multi use river front trail system in the
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region. The trail runs along the banks of the three river
that give Pittsburgh its unique geography characteristics the Allegheny and
Monongahela rivers meet at the point in down town Pittsburgh to from the Ohio
river. In some case there is trail on both bank of the river. The three rivers heritage
trail provide excess to the cities central business districts, neighborhoods,
municipalities, shopping venues and local attractions.
.
The three river heritage trail is maid up of segments is named for the section or
neighborhoods of they cities they pass through. The Eliza furnace trail on the north
bank of the Monongahela river passes where once stood johns and Laughlin steel
companies Eliza Francis. The north shore trail occupies the north bank of the
Allegheny rivers in Pittsburgh north shore neighborhood. The street strip district trail
on the south bank of the Allegheny river traverses and area famous for whole sale
and retail shopping eateries and night life
34

41. 35

42. Trail User Estimate
36

43. 37

44. Economic Impact
38

45. 39

46. Trail Maintenance, Security And Cleanliness
40

47. The Trail
The trail is the route which leads travelers to the heritage assets existing in old
Dhaka so that it serves the purposes for promoting heritage tourism, educating on
history of a place or a person, or appreciating heritage values of a place.as old
Dhaka is a repository of many ancient aristocrat heritages. It can be designed to
help the visitors understand the particular area of interest.
In my heritage trail that I have designed to serve those purpose I tried to cover
most of the heritages of old Dhaka so that to satisfy the visitors. As there are more
heritage sites and each are situated in different location of old Dhaka it is difficult to
manage a trail of visiting those area in one single day. So I have decided to prepare
a trail with important monuments of our history.
In my trail I started my tour of old Dhaka from TSC of Dhaka University. I select this
place because it is the centre of old Dhaka and TSC is the most famous cultural
place of Dhaka. TSC of the University of Dhaka is situated within the Dhaka
University campus area, Shahbagh, Dhaka. Certain parts of the area where the
Teacher-Student Centre is now situated used to be land of the old Sujatpur Palace
grounds (the oldest Nawab Mansion in Shahbagh), which stood there before
Teacher-Student Centre was built.
The trail can be scheduled from 9 am to 5 pm and start from TSC and finish at TSC
via Chamely House, Dhaka. At this time schedule the trail will follow a route that
point the heritages. The trail route will be :
TSC Gurdwara Nanak Shahi Dhakeshwari Temple Khan
Mohammad Mridha Mosque Lalbagh Fort Chawkbazar Shahi
Mosque Bara Katra Choto Katra Hussaini Dalan Star
Mosque The Armenian Church Ahsan Manzil Shakhari
Bazaar Northbrooke Hall(Lalkuth) Ruplal House Rose
Garden Chamely House TSC
As the roads of old Dhaka are too narrow and the area is a dense settlement area
It is inconvenient to run the motor vehicle in this area. So I think no motor vehicle
should provided there. The main transport system should be by cycle rickshaws,
electric Pedicab rickshaw, cycle and the power club cart.
Pedestrian walkway should be provided for this trail.
41

48. Econimic Impact Of The Trail
Bangladesh is a historic country. This country is rich in many Heritage. The Old
Dhaka known for its old heritage. These heritages help us to know the history of
Dhaka even the whole Bangladesh. Every year many local and foreign tourists
come here to visit those historical places of old Dhaka and that gives more benefits
in our economy But there is no proper direction for the tourists how to visit the
places properly. Since there is not much development in old Dhaka and for the
current status most of the time tourists are facing more harassments. This is
because they don‟t want to visit there and it's bad impact on our economy. So we
should take some steps that can help the tourists to visit old Dhaka properly
without facing any difficulties.
A historical trail of old Dhaka should give a proper service to our valuable tourists.
They can visit all the historical places of old Dhaka by this trail. It helps them to visit
the places, shop the local stuffs, can enjoy traditional foods. All of this will impact
our national economy in some way.
The Trail Map
42

49. Trail Maintenance, Security And Cleanliness
One of the most important aspect of the trail is that it allows at trails management
organization to receive feedback, both positive and negative from users. The
heritage trail users survey can serve as a benchmark against which future
maintenance, security and cleanliness issues can be compared.
The streets are important parts of the traditional environments. Managing street
details and maintaining the link between the shops and the streets is important for
the continuity of the heritage. The streets are periodically maintained by the local
community bodies with contributions from the shop owners, for the area adjacent to
their shops. The regular maintenance has helped to retain the historic continuity of
the street. Generally no major alterations in the fabric are done without the
involvement of the community bodies.
For maintaining the trail it should be noted that the roads of the trail should be
always clean and drains are covered properly. There should be indicator sign of the
heritages in the node points of the roads. Traffic conjunction should be in control.
Road side parking should not be allowed. There should be proper parking facilities
with all heritage sites.
The safety and security of the tourists is influenced by a number of factors
including the presence of other trail users, the lines of sign, familiarity with the trail,
availability of “escape routes” and the presence of law enforcements like police.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN HERITAGE MANAGEMENT
IN OLD DHAKA
Active Participation Of The Community
Throughout the history of the traditional neighborhoods of Old Dhaka, there has been
a system of informal community management that worked parallel to the formal „top
down‟ approach. The system dates back centuries in several neighborhoods and has
been mostly autonomous, free of the influence of the formal authorities. Surprisingly,
long before the formal political system, the traditional communities realized the
importance of representative democracy in the form of informal community bodies.
The community management system is governed by informally selected community
bodies. The community management and actions are the result of inclusive decision
making where the community is directly involved. Generally the community is
represented by a small number of selected representatives working together as informal
community bodies. The representatives are selected either without elections, with
limited elections or respected community elders were simply chosen through common
consensus.
The representatives are responsible both for deciding on the everyday routine social
issues and special decisions that affect the community. They are also responsible to
act and implement on the community mandates. The general decision making process
is consultation based.
Unlike many modern societies, the sociocultural practices and the heritage in traditional
neighborhoods of Old Dhaka are not treated separately. Through the long process of
social evolution and everyday social activities, they virtually become one. Along with
managing common sociocultural issues of the community, the informal community
management system is also responsible for heritage management in Old Dhaka.
43

50. Involvement Of Community Bodies In Heritage Management
The community bodies of Old Dhaka are involved in the informal heritage
management of community and private owned heritage buildings. Based on
ownership, the involvement is direct and indirect in nature. The community heritage
buildings are owned by the local community, unless the government intervenes to
take over. Management of the community buildings is direct in nature, involving
routine repair/restoration, managing funds and ensuring the continuity of the
traditional craftsmen‟s guilds by engaging them. For privately owned buildings, the
involvement is more indirect in nature; this happens by influencing, monitoring and
assisting the private owners in the limited capacity of the community bodies. The
activities are summarized in Figure 32:
Figure 32: Involvements of community bodies in heritage management
The traditional neighborhoods are the product of local socioeconomic policies through
a time tested process. The informal community management system respects and
represents the cultural, economic, social, political preferences of the local community
members. These preferences and community interests can often be beyond what is
seen on the surface. Only through the informal community management are they
maintained. Heritage management is a vital part of community management and the
informal management saw the local heritage through the centuries. Public
participation in the informal heritage management works in multiple forms and
channels, involving the community members and using their knowledge and
capacities in various ways. The system helps bring the entire community together on
important heritage management issues, which is so vital for their survival. The system
successfully administrates the collective „bottom up‟ power in the local communities.
The community bodies face a greater challenge in managing the local heritage today.
44

51. The communities have become more complex than before with multiple interests,
making it more difficult to manage the local heritage. Some of the main problems are
the rising population, lack of fund and development pressure from surrounding urban
environment. Local community bodies like the Panchayets are still working within
these restraints with their limited resources. Additional assistance would help them
perform better. For heritage management in Old Dhaka.
Qualitative Values Of The Trail
Heritage is a national asset. This is the duty of every citizen to protect this heritage
and to know about these and also help foreign tourists to learn about this precious
structure of the country. As old Dhaka is rich with more heritage structures, it is
necessary to have a trail there to visit those heritage spots properly.
By this trail tourists can visit the historical places of old Dhaka easily and thus it
represent our history, our culture and our livelihood. By this one can know about the
different phases of our history and can realize the value of Old Dhaka. It helps our
country to move forward. The Heritages become extinct are found by these trail,
and these are conserved or preserved as heritage structure. If the trail made more
tourists are came here to visit that places and the local people should be benefitted.
Because of the trail local people should get many scopes of works for earning and
this gives a beneficial impact in our national economy. It will also be a breathing
place for local people.
Lattermost it develops our heritage spots as a tourist spot.
45

52. Inference
Dhaka is a 400 years old city. It carrying the memories of Mughal, British and
afterword. It was known as a town of merchants which also belongs now a days.
During the course of time, which abolished. Now a days the aristocrat architecture
of the ancient periods have been obsolescent. The remaining those are not in good
condition. We have to preserve and conserve those remaining architecture and
should try to know people about these by planning this trail. By this trail we should
propound our ancient history to the world. The history that known as rubbles to us
should become national assets for our country.
46

53. 53