Old Dhaka, Historic district in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Old Dhaka is a historic district in Dhaka, Bangladesh, spreading along the banks of the Buriganga River through a maze of winding alleys. The buildings combine Mughal-era brickwork with colonial wooden houses and more recent concrete structures standing close together.
Mughal rulers founded the settlement in 1608 under the name Jahangirabad and developed it into a center for the global muslin trade. The capital later moved to Murshidabad, yet the district kept its commercial importance through the colonial period.
The Gunda Bazaar recalls centuries-old trading traditions where weavers, perfume sellers and spice merchants displayed their goods in open stalls. Today vendors still sell their products following similar patterns, with the scent of sandalwood and cardamom filling the narrow lanes.
The Sadarghat river terminal offers ferry connections to other parts of the city and surrounding regions. Cycle rickshaws navigate through the narrow lanes that are often impassable for larger vehicles.
The Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection from 1781 shows the influence of Armenian merchants on the commercial development of the district. Their community traded in jute and leather and shaped local trading networks for generations.
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