Dhaka District
Dhaka District (dhaka division) area 1463.60 sq km, located in between 23°53' and 24°06' north latitudes and in between 90°01' and 90°37' east longitudes. It is bounded by gazipur and tangail districts on the north, munshiganj district on the south, narayanganj district on the east, manikganj and rajbari districts on the west.
Population Total 12043977; male 6555792, female 5488185; Muslim 11400096, Hindu 566368, Buddhist 13267, Christian 62064 and others 2182.
Water bodies padma, buriganga, ichamati, dhaleshwari, turag, bangshi, Kaliganga, Gazikhali, Kalmai rivers; Tulsi Khalki Canal, Aonar Canal, Bhangabhita Canal; Raghunathpur Beel and Betlai Beel are notable.
Administration Dhaka municipality was established in 1864 and it was turned into a Town Committee in 1960. The Town Committee was abolished in 1972 and it was up graded into a Municipal Corporation in 1983. Dhaka Town was turned into a City Corporation in 1990.
| District | |||||||||
| Area (sq km) | Upazila | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Urban | Rural | ||||||||
| 1463.60 | 5 | 3 | 79 | 1007 | 2001 | 9317043 | 2726934 | 8229 | 70.5 |
| City Corporation (Census 2001) | |||
| City Corporation | Metropolitan Thana | Ward and Union | Mahalla and Mouza |
| 2 | 41 | 81+ 59 (Part) | 841 |
| Dhaka Metropolitan Thana (Census 2001) | ||||||
| Name of metropolitan thana and GO code | Area (sq km) | Ward and Union | Mahalla and Mouza | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) |
| Adabor | 2.07 | 2 | 8 | 86540 | 41806 | 62.24 |
| Uttar Khan | 20.09 | 1 | 14 | 52014 | 2590 | 64.58 |
| Uttara | 36.91 | 1 | 13 | 66636 | 11295 | 65.67 |
| Kadamtali | 10.16 | 4+2 (Part) | 15 | 330565 | 32536 | 63.87 |
| Kalabagan | 1.26 | 1+1 (Part) | 10 | 106671 | 84660 | 76.88 |
| Kafrul | 7.89 | 1+3 (Part) | 18 | 272939 | 34593 | 69.87 |
| Kamrangirchar | 3.63 | 1 | 12 | 143208 | 39452 | 42.84 |
| Cantonment | 14.47 | 1+1 (Part) | 8 | 117464 | 11393 | 70.30 |
| Kotwali | 0.67 | 2+2 (Part) | 44 | 82488 | 123117 | 77.78 |
| Khilkhet | 15.88 | 1 | 11 | 39227 | 2470 | 58.32 |
| Khilgaon | 14.83 | 4+1 (Part) | 12 | 230902 | 15560 | 56.92 |
| Gulshan | 8.85 | 2+1 (Part) | 25 | 145969 | 16494 | 68.12 |
| Gendaria | 1.83 | 4 | 25 | 160541 | 87728 | 69.97 |
| Chawkbazar Model | 2.07 | 3+3 (Part) | 62 | 160112 | 77349 | 75.49 |
| Demra | 19.9 | 3 | 19 | 125312 | 6473 | 58.58 |
| Turag | 12.17 | 1 (Part) | 12 | 53558 | 4401 | 60.54 |
| Tejgaon | 2.74 | 1+2 (Part) | 7 | 118540 | 41073 | 76.51 |
| Tejgaon I/A | 4.38 | 3 | 11 | 64129 | 14641 | 69.56 |
| Dakshinkhan | 11.08 | 1 (Part) | 6 | 177760 | 15412 | 68.87 |
| Darus Salam | 4.98 | 2+2 (Part) | 20 | 198723 | 39904 | 67.58 |
| Dhanmondi | 4.34 | 1+2 (Part) | 17 | 128942 | 22798 | 70.90 |
| New Market | 1.67 | 1 | 8 | 66439 | 37173 | 82.32 |
| Paltan | 1.42 | 1+1 (Part) | 13 | 64492 | 34854 | 81.74 |
| Pallabi | 25.28 | 2+4 (Part) | 38 | 412217 | 16306 | 64.10 |
| Bangshal | 1.2 | 3+2 (Part) | 61 | 178241 | 148535 | 69.35 |
| Badda | 36.84 | 1+5 (Part) | 22 | 320025 | 8689 | 58.36 |
| Bimanbandar | 8.02 | 2 | 5 | 5079 | 634 | 79.13 |
| Motijheel | 3.69 | 5+1 (Part) | 23 | 225999 | 61246 | 76.22 |
| Mirpur Model | 4.71 | 1+5 (Part) | 17 | 274530 | 58287 | 73.73 |
| Mohammadpur | 7.44 | 3+2 (Part) | 32 | 241343 | 32439 | 74.70 |
| Jatrabari | 13.19 | 4 | 17 | 260772 | 19770 | 63.04 |
| Ramna | 3.84 | 2+3 (Part) | 16 | 176437 | 46068 | 75.11 |
| Rampura | 2.80 | 2 | 17 | 138923 | 49615 | 74.45 |
| Lalbagh | 2.04 | 4 | 46 | 188794 | 92547 | 71.45 |
| Shah Ali | 5.15 | 1+2 (Part) | 24 | 102855 | 19972 | 73.02 |
| Shahbagh | 3.49 | 3 (Part) | 13 | 74113 | 21236 | 79.39 |
| Sher-e-Bangla Nagar | 5.25 | 1+3 (Part) | 16 | 248871 | 47404 | 71.67 |
| Shyampur | 1.66 | 1+2 (Part) | 14109333 | 65864 | 65.36 | |
| Sabujbagh | 6.62 | 4+2 (Part) | 19 | 236813 | 35773 | 62.38 |
| Sutrapur | 2.08 | 5 | 47 | 191879 | 92250 | 76.17 |
| Hazaribagh | 3.94 | 1+2 (Part) | 24 | 103482 | 26265 | 64.40 |
| Others Information of District | ||||||||
| Name of upazila | Area (sq km) | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) |
| Keraniganj | 166.87 | - | 12 | 121 | 423 | 794360 | 4760 | 58.5 |
| Nawabganj | 244.80 | - | 14 | 188 | 342 | 318811 | 1302 | 57.8 |
| Dohar | 161.49 | 1 | 8 | 80 | 133 | 226439 | 1402 | 57.5 |
| Dhamrai | 307.41 | 1 | 16 | 290 | 398 | 412418 | 1342 | 50.8 |
| Savar | 280.11 | 1 | 12 | 216 | 380 | 1385910 | 4948 | 68.0 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
War of Liberation The flag of Bangladesh was hoisted for the first time in Bangladesh at Battala of the University of Dhaka on 2 March 1971. Bangabandhu sheikh mujibur rahman was arrested by the Pak army from his Dhanmondi residence on 25 March. In the mid night of 25 March the Pak army launched attacks on the Bangalis at many places including the Cantonment, the headquarters of East Pakistan Rifle (EPR) at Pilkhana, Rajarbagh Police Barrack, the headquarters of Ansar at Khilgaon, residences of Dhaka University teachers and the student halls. Thousands of common people, members of armed forces, EPR and police, teachers, students and employees of different categories were killed. The Pak army set many houses in Dhaka City including in the densely Hindu populated Sankhari Patti and Tanti Bazar. On 27 March the Pak army brutally killed 13 persons at Malakartola. In the month of July 1971 the freedom fighters destroyed the power station of the AGB Colony near the Kamlapur Railway Station and thereby put the Pak army in a difficult position. An encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army was held at Joar Shahara on 9 December in which a number of freedom fighters were killed. On 14 November an encounter between the freedom fighters, under Nasiruddin Yusuf, and the Pak army was held at Savar in which Muktijoddha Shahid Golam Dastagir Titu was killed. On 14 December the Pak army, in collaboration with the Rajakars and Al-Badars, brutally killed many people including the intellectuals of the country. In another encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at the Mothertek area 11 Pak soldiers were killed. During the war of liberation the Pak army conducted tortures and plundering at different places of Badda and Vatara areas and killed two persons at village Salmaid. The Pak army set most of the houses of the villages Konakhola, Basta, Brahman Kirtheh, Goalkhali, Owalitia, Khagail Kholamora of Keraniganj upazila. However, Pak army was forced to retreat in the face of attack by the freedom fighters. The enemy soldiers brutally killed 14 freedom fighters at a place near Kalampur Bazar who were captured from Dhamrai Bazar of Dhamrai upazila. The complete victory was achieved on 16 December when the Pak army surrendered at the Ramna Race Course. Mass graves have been discovered at many places of Dhaka district and the most notable among them are those at a place near National Memorial Monument at Savar, Jagannath Hall, Dhaka University, Kamalpur Bazar of Dhamrai, South Kamlapur and Royer Bazar. Also, there are mass killing sites at numerous locations. Most notable among the many memorial monuments built in Dhaka district are those at Savar (national martyrs' memorial) and at Darus Salam of Mirpur (Intellectual Memorial Monument). Also, there are memorial monuments like the National Shahid Minar at Dhaka and the 71-feet Shaheed Minar on its campus of The Jahangirnagar University to commemorate Language Movement martyrs, as well as the many sculptures such as the Aparajaya Bangla, Soparjita Swadhinata, Swadhinata Sangram at Dhaka University Campus, Sangshaptak at Jahangirnagar University, Jagroto Chowrangi at Joydebpur, and Protasha at Jagannath University.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 70.5%; male 73.6%, female 66.9%. Educational institutions: university 51, medical college 23, technical training college 4, government teachers training college 3, college 177, law college 3, secondary school 450, primary school 700, satellite school 200, primary teachers training institute 3, technical training institute 4, kindergarten 250, madrasa 180. Noted educational institutions: dhaka university (1921), bangladesh university of engineering and technology (1962), jahangirnagar university (1970), dhaka medical college and hospital (1946), Jaipara College (1972), Eden Mohila College (1873), K.L Jubilee School and College (1866), Dhaka Notre Dame College (1949), Viquarunnesa Noon School and College (1952), Willes Little Flower School and College (1952), Adamjee Cantonment Public School and College (1960), Dhaka Residential Model School and College (1960), Pogose School (1828), St. Gregory High School (1892), Government Muslim High School (1874), Jaipara Pilot High School (1902), Bandura Holy Cross High School (1912), Savar Adhar Chandra High School (1913), Simulia S.P High School (1914), Hardinge High School (1914), Churain Tarini Bama High School (1923), Dhanmondi Government Boys' High School (1962), Roail Primary School (1887), Pathan Tola Primary School (1888), Purba Char Government Primary School (1925).
Main sources of income Agriculture 7.70%, non-agricultural labourer 2.40%, industry 3.56%, commerce 25.05%, transport and communication 8.97%, service 32.34%, construction 3.40%,' religious service 0.15%, rent and remittance 4.15% and others 13.12%.
Newspapers and periodicals Daily (Bangla): Ittefaq, Inqilab, Bhorer Kagaj, Prothom Alo, Banglar Bani, Sangbad, Janakantha, Jugantar, Sangram, Rupali, Dainik Bangla, Dinkal, Arthaniti, Muktakantha, Ajker Kagaj, Al Amin, Dainik Bhor, Desh Janata, Jaijaidin, Janapath, Janmabhumi, Khabar, Millat, Samachar, Shakti, Desh Bangla, Manabzamin, Bangla Bazar, Jagrata Kantha, Savar Barta, Savar Kantha, Ganavasso; Daily (English): News Day, Bangladesh Times, Bangladesh Observer, The Daily Star, The Independent, The New Nation, The Financial Express; Weekly: Aai Samay, Ekata, Bartaman Dinkal, Chuti, Dhaka Courier, Purbhabas, Sandwip, Gram Barta, Bichitra, Purnima, Sughanda, Robbar, Bhorer Shishir, Kriralok, Mirpur Barta, Jagrata Kantha, Savar Barta, Saf Katha, Savar Kantha, Ganabhasha; Defunct: Bandhab Patrika (1874), Dainik Azad (1935), Weekly Mohammadi (1910), Dainik Nabajug (1941), Samakal (1854), Sahitya Patra (1948), Dainik Khadem (1910), Sabujpatra (1914), Moslem Bharat (1920), Kallol (1923), Al-Islam (1915), Education Gazette (1846), Weekly Bartabaha (1856), Swadesh (monthly, 1854), Bangadut (1829), Bangadarshan (1872), Nabanur (1903), Bengal Gazette (1780), Bengal Gazette (1818), Shikha (1927), Saogat (1918), Basana (1908), Monthly Boi Bichitra (1962), Saptahik Krishok (1973).
Folkculture Jatra-pala, Pala Gan, Bhawaya, Bhatiali, Baul song are notable.
Important installations and tourist spots Jatiya Smriti' Saudha (National Martyrs' Memorial), Central shaheed minar, Muktijoddha Museum, Bangabandhu Smriti' Jadughar (Banhabandhu Memorial Museum), National Museum, Children Park, National Zoo, Mirpur Stadium, Bangabandhu Stadium, Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, ruins of the house of Harish Chandra Raja (8th century), Seven Domed Mosque (17th Century), Baitul Mukarram (National Mosque), Star Mosque (18th Century), Chawkbazar Mosque, Dhakeshwari Temple (11th Century), Lalbagh Fort, Ahsan Manzil, Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (Parliament House), National Botanical Garden, Baldha Garden, Panam Nagar (Sonargaon), bangabandhu sheikh mujibur rahman novotheatre, Buddha Vihara. [Md Tuhin Molla]
See also Upazilas under this district.
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Field report of different upazilas of Dhaka district 2010.
