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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

1

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.

2

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

3

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 4

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

5

Figure 4 Demarcation between pre-Mughal and Mughal Dhaka

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

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.

10

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.

11

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). .

12

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.

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

35

Trail User Estimate

36

37

Economic Impact

38

39

Trail Maintenance, Security And Cleanliness

40

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

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

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

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

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

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

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