Bahadur Shah Park(Bengali:বাহাদুর শাহ পার্ক), formerly known as Victoria Park, is a historically significanturban parklocated inOld Dhaka,Bangladesh. Developed in the 19th century, it commemorates the soldiers who died during theIndian Rebellion of 1857againstBritish colonial rule.Named after the lastMughalemperor,Bahadur Shah II,the park features several monuments and serves as a historical landmark and a popular recreational area for locals.
| Bahadur Shah Park | |
|---|---|
| বাহাদুর শাহ পার্ক | |
 | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Old Dhaka,Bangladesh |
| Coordinates | 23°42′33″N90°24′44″E/ 23.709204897163737°N 90.41230093345173°E |
| Created | 1800's |
| Visitors | 400–500 (in 2018) |
| Status | Open all year |
Description
editThe historical Bahadur Shah Park is located in Laxmibazar,Old Dhaka,under ward 42 ofDhaka South City Corporation.[1]It features two entrances and two main memorials: the tallest one on the eastern side commemorates the martyredsepoys,and the other is the Khwaja Hafizullahobelisk.There is also a smaller obelisk signifyingQueen Victoria's throne and a star-shaped octagonal fountain in the centre of the park. The park is enclosed by an iron railing.
Situated in a populous and busy area of the old town, it is surrounded by important institutions such as Dhaka Judges Court, various banks,Jagannath University,andKabi Nazrul College.The park has become a social gathering spot, with separate seating arrangements for women.[2]
Visitors
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In 2018, Bahadur Shah Park saw daily visitor numbers ranging from 400 to 500, primarily consisting of students and local residents who visited for jogging and socialising. Male visitors were comparatively more numerous than female visitors.[3]
History
editLate 18th and early 19th centuries: Antaghar Maidan
editNear the end of the eighteenth century,[4]Armeniansestablished Dhaka's first European-styleclubat the site of the present Bahadur Shah Park, officially named the Armenian Club. They engaged in various games such asbilliards,leading the club to be popularly known as 'Antaghar'. The adjoining ground was called 'Antaghar Maidan' by the locals. Antaghar served as both an entertainment hub and a vital meeting place for Europeans in Dhaka, attracting up to 150 people on Sundays, while natives were barred from entry.[5]
Possibly near the start of the 19th century, the English acquired the since dilapidated Antaghar and subsequently demolished it.[4][6]TheNawab of Dhaka,Khwaja Abdul Ghani,personally contributed to the development of Antaghar Maidan on its ruins.[4][7]James Taylor noted in his 1840 book,A Sketch of the Topography & Statistics of Dacca,that there was a small open space with a circular garden at the junction of two streets.[8][4]Shortly after Antaghar's closure, the European Club was established in its place under English leadership. This club also restricted access to foreigners only, angering Dhaka's local elites, who protested by storming the club. In response, Europeans eased the restrictions somewhat, permitting local elites to enter under conditions such as adhering to a dress code.[5]
Late 19th century: Victoria Park
editAntaghar Maidan gained a notorious reputation during theSepoy Mutiny of 1857when several soldiers (sepoys) were hanged from trees there, causing widespread unease.[5][2][4]In 1858, thecommissionerof Dhaka Division notably announcedQueen Victoria'sdirect rule of the subcontinentand declaration ofclemencyfor the sepoy uprising to a large assembly at this location, subsequently transforming its name from Antaghar Maidan into Victoria Park.[7][4]When Abdul Ghani's grandson, Khwaja Hafizullah, died, his English friends helped raise funds to build anobeliskin his memory here in 1884 or 1885, according to varying sources.[4][2]The European Club remained here until 1888, when it relocated to larger premises further south and was renamed theDhaka Club.[5]
According to architect Mahbubur Rahman, Bahadur Shah Park had the characteristics of a Europeancity centre,with major colonial civic establishments around an oval-shaped island situated at the intersection of two main city roads: the oldest pre-Mughal east-west road and the first major colonial axis road connectingSadarghatwith the expanding northern city. By the late 19th century, the area featured a mosque, church, school, college, madrasa, bank, news office, library, hostel, and other institutions.[9]
20th century to present: Bahadur Shah Park
editIn 1957, theDhaka Improvement Trustbuilt acenotaphhere in memory of the mutineers, and the park was renamed Bahadur Shah Park in honour of thelast Mughal emperor,during whose reign the mutiny had occurred a century earlier.[4][6][2]TheDhaka City Corporationrenovated the park in the 1960s.[7]
In March 2020,Dhaka South City Corporationbegan an overhaul of the park as part of a development project. Contractors were tasked with repairing damaged structures and adding new features, including a 740-metre oval walkway, public toilets, benches, greenery, gardens, and anamphitheatregallery, equipping the area with bright lights. The Sepoy Mutiny memorial also received a facelift. Additionally, a four-foot-deep drain was constructed to manage rainwater, with pebbles covering the floors. The project, costing approximately৳55 million(US$450,000), revitalised nearly 1.4054 acres (5,687 m2) of the park. However, the granite monument commemorating Khwaja Hafizullah remains unrepaired.[10]
Issues
editA year after the 2020 renovation, Bahadur Shah Park faced several issues, including the presence of homeless individuals and vendors, as well as drug use and scattered garbage. Authorities cited a lack of adequate manpower, such as guards and dedicated cleaners, as a significant problem. Additionally, old structures like the obelisk appeared to have not been cleaned for a long time.[1]
References
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- ^abMeer, Hasan (31 March 2021)."Bahadur Shah Park in Capital: Renovation gone to waste?".The Daily Star.Retrieved19 May2024.
- ^abcdJahan, Nilima (15 July 2016)."Tale of an Old Park".The Daily Star.Retrieved18 May2024.
- ^Satu, Shaila Islam; Nahar, Kamrun; Kashem, Md. Abul; Ahmad, Shahrear (December 2019)."Understanding urban tourism in Baldha Garden and Bahadur Shah Park of Dhaka City (Bangladesh) by studying the interactions between visitors and plants".Mol: boletín de la Sociedad de Ciencias de Galicia(19):93–101.ISSN1133-3669– via Dialnet.
- ^abcdefghChowdhury, Emdadul Hoque (February 2020).আন্টাঘর থেকে ভিক্টোরিয়া এবং ভিক্টোরিয়া থেকে বাহাদুর শাহ পার্ক[Antaghar to Victoria and Victoria to Bahadur Shah Park].Dhakar Itihashঢাকার ইতিহাস[History of Dhaka] (e-book) (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Mohakal.ISBN978-984-93997-0-4.
- ^abcdShafique, Saleh (20 January 2024)."Antaghar: The tale of 19th-century Europeans-only club in Dhaka".The Business Standard.Retrieved18 May2024.
- ^abAkram, Ridwan (June 2012).বাহাদুর শাহ পার্ক[Bahadur Shah Park]. In Ahmed, Sharif Uddin; Hasan, Delwar; Majlish, Najma Khan; Rabbani, AKM Golam (eds.).Encyclopedia of Dhakaঢাকা কোষ(in Bengali). Dhaka:Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.pp.300–301.ISBN978-984-512-019-7.
- ^abcRahman, S M Mahfuzur (2012)."Victoria Park".InSirajul Islam;Miah, Sajahan;Khanam, Mahfuza;Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.).Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh(Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust,Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.ISBN984-32-0576-6.OCLC52727562.OL30677644M.Retrieved10 February2025.
- ^Taylor, James (1840).A Sketch of the Topography & Statistics of Dacca.Calcutta: Military Orphan Press. p. 87.LCCN90180470.
- ^Rahman, Mahbubur (4 January 2009)."An Architect's Dhaka".Star Campus.Vol. 2, no. 100.Retrieved19 May2024.
- ^Meghla, Meherun Naher (21 October 2020)."Revamped Bahadur Shah Park brings fresh air relief to concrete jungle".bdnews24.Retrieved18 May2024.