Dhaka Division

Dhaka is a big part of Bangladesh.

The city of Dhaka is its capital. Many people live in this area. It is growing very fast.

Long ago, rulers built strong forts here. Some people think its name comes from a tree. It is a very busy and special place.

Dhaka Division is a large part of Bangladesh. It covers about 20,508.8 square kilometers. The city of Dhaka is the capital of this area. It is also the capital of the whole country.

This place is very crowded. More than 44 million people live here. It is one of the fastest growing areas in the world.

Dhaka Division sits near many other parts of Bangladesh. It touches almost every other division in the country.

History is found all over this land. Long ago, many different kings ruled here. Some built strong forts to protect the land.

You can still see some ruins today.

People wonder where the name Dhaka comes from. One idea is the dhak tree. This tree used to grow in the area. Another idea is that the name means a watchtower. This would mean the area was used to watch for danger. Dhaka was once a very rich center for trade. It was famous for making fine cloth called muslin.

Dhaka Division is a large administrative area in Bangladesh. The city of Dhaka is the capital of this division and the whole country. It covers a huge area of 20,508.8 square kilometers. This place is a massive population magnet for the region. More than 44 million people live here today. It is one of the fastest growing divisions in the entire world. The population grows by about 1.94% each year.

This division sits in a very central spot. It borders almost every other division in Bangladesh. To the north, it meets the Mymensingh Division. The Barisal Division is to the south. To the east and south-east, you will find the Chittagong Division. The Sylhet Division sits to the north-east. To the west is the Rajshahi Division. Finally, the Khulna Division is to the south-west. Only the Rangpur Division does not touch Dhaka Division.

People have many ideas about the name Dhaka. It might come from the dhak tree. This tree was once very common in the area. Some think it comes from a goddess named Dhakeshwari. Another idea links it to a drum called a dhak. This drum was played when the capital moved in 1610. Some believe the name means a watchtower. A long time ago, the region was called Dhakka. It may have been used as a place to watch for danger.

History is found in many layers of this land. Ancient kingdoms like Vanga and Gangaridai ruled here long ago. The city of Bikrampur was a capital for many different groups. Later, the area became a center for the Mughal Empire. In 1610, Dhaka became the capital of a large province. It was a very rich and great city during this time. One English sailor thought it had 900,000 people. That was more people than lived in London back then. Dhaka was also famous for trading fine muslin cloth.

Many big changes happened in the 20th century. In 1905, Dhaka became a regional capital again. It served as the seat of government for Eastern Bengal and Assam. Later, it became the second capital of Pakistan in 1962. During this time, big industries like jute mills were built. The world's largest jute mill was located on the edge of the city. You can see how much the city has grown from space. This growth shows how important the area remains today.

Dhaka Division is a major administrative division located in Bangladesh. The city of Dhaka serves as its capital, as well as the capital of the entire country. This division is a significant population magnet for the region. It covers a total area of 20,508.8 square kilometers. Currently, the population exceeds 44 million people. It is recognized as one of the fastest growing populous administrative divisions in the world. Its population has grown at a rate of 1.94% since the previous count. This is notably higher than the national average of 1.22%.

Geographically, the division occupies a very central position. It borders every other division in Bangladesh except for the Rangpur Division. To the north, it is bounded by the Mymensingh Division. The Barisal Division sits to the south. The Chittagong Division lies to the east and south-east. To the north-east, the division meets the Sylhet Division. The Rajshahi Division forms its western border. Finally, the Khulna Division is located to the south-west.

The origins of the name "Dhaka" remain a subject of historical debate. One theory suggests it comes from the dhak tree, which was once common in the area. Another possibility is that it derives from Dhakeshwari, the patron goddess of the region. Some believe the name comes from a membranophone, which is a type of musical instrument. This instrument is called a dhak. It may have been played by order of Subahdar Islam Khan I during the 1610 inauguration of the capital. Other theories link the name to a Prakrit dialect called Dhaka Bhasa. Some sources even suggest the name means "watchtower." The Kashmiri Brahman Kalhana wrote that the region was originally known as Dhakka. This name might have referred to a watch station used for fortification.

History in this region dates back to the first millennium. In ancient times, the Greater Dhaka region was under the kingdoms of Vanga and Gangaridai. The area was once part of the ancient division of Bikrampur. This region was ruled by the Sena dynasty. The city of Bikrampur served as a capital for the Palas, Chandras, Varmans, and Devas. Later, the city of Dholsamudra in modern-day Gazipur was a capital for the Buddhist Pala Empire. Various forts were constructed in Toke and Ekdala during the sixth century. These fortifications remained in use as late as the Mughal Period.

Under Islamic rule, the administrative center moved to the historic district of Sonargaon. This area served as a hub for the Delhi and Bengal Sultanates. During the 16th century, the region known as Bhati became a site of intense warfare. The Baro-Bhuiyans rose to power here and resisted Mughal invasion. This resistance continued until Islam Khan Chisti forced their submission during the reign of Jahangir. In 1610, Dhaka became the capital of the Mughal province of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. This province was known as the Bengal Subah. It covered much of modern-day Bangladesh and parts of eastern India. Dhaka was one of the richest and greatest cities in the world during this era.

The city reached its peak of prosperity under the governor Shaista Khan between 1644 and 1677. During this time, Dhaka was a center for the muslin trade. This fine cloth was so famous that it was called "daka" in markets as far away as Central Asia. An English merchant named Thomas Bowrey visited the city between 1669 and 1670. He estimated the city was 40 miles in circuit. He also estimated the population was 900,000 people. This was more populous than London at that time. The city also housed a wealthy elite under the rule of the Nawabs of Bengal. The Naib Nazim acted as the deputy governor and managed the Mughal Navy.

Significant political shifts occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries. The British moved to oust the last independent Nawab of Bengal in 1757. Following the Indian mutiny of 1857, the British crown established direct rule. In 1905, the first partition of Bengal restored Dhaka's status as a regional capital. It became the seat of government for Eastern Bengal and Assam. This jurisdiction included 30 districts across several divisions. Later, after the partition of India, Dhaka became the second capital of Pakistan. In 1962, it was formalized as the legislative capital. This era saw rapid industrialization, including the construction of the world's largest jute mill.

The physical landscape of the division has been shaped by its many administrative eras. For example, the Bhawal Estate was a massive zamindari, or landholding, in the north. At its peak, it covered over 1,500 square kilometers. This estate included 2,274 villages and roughly 55,000 villagers. On the southern side, the township of Fatehabad was located near a stream called the Dead Padma. This stream was once a channel of the Padma River. Fatehabad served as a mint town for the Bengal Sultanate until 1538. These diverse historical elements show how the Dhaka Division has evolved into a vital modern hub.