A remnant of the past: what lies ahead for historic Dhaka Gate?

On the road stretching from Doel Square to TSC on the Dhaka University campus, two dilapidated structures covered in green tendrils catch the onlookers’ eyes.

Known as Mir Jumla’s Gate or famously Dhaka Gate, the ruined structures have stood as witnesses to Dhaka’s history for the last 350 years.

A lack of maintenance, negligence and the construction of metro rail have made the historic structure more vulnerable, pushing it closer to destruction.

Historians and archaeologists have urged the authorities to take immediate measures to conserve the gate, a part of Dhaka’s heritage.

WHO BUILT IT?

Historians have a difference of opinion on when and why the gate was constructed.

According to the Dhaka Kosh, or Encyclopaedia of Dhaka published by the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Mir Jumla, a governor under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, built the gate between 1660 and 1663 in a bid to demarcate the area of Dhaka and prevent it from the attack of enemies.

Historian Muntassir Mamoon, however, has a different view. The first magistrate of Dhaka during the British rule, Charles Daws, had built a racecourse, clearing the jungle in Ramna in 1925, and constructed a road on the north-east side of the racecourse to connect it with the main city, Mamoon wrote in his book ‘Smriti Bismritir Nogori Dhaka.’ The magistrate constructed two pillars at the entrance to the road, which was known as ‘Mir Jumla’s Gate', according to him.

Some archaeologists believe the structure was constructed in the Mughal era. But Dr Ahmad Hasan Dani, an eminent historian in the sub-continent, says the gate holds a European style of architecture.

Professor AKM Shahnewaz of Jahangirnagar University’s archaeology department believes the gate was built in the Mughal era.

“Dhaka was a much bigger area during the colonial era. Dhaka University was established during that period. Shahbagh was built during the rule of the nawabs. The gate would have been erected further north, if it had been done at that time,” he said.

“The gate was situated in the middle of the city, and therefore, very unlikely to be built during that time. Gates are always erected at the entrance to a city. Also, there wasn’t any trend of dividing Dhaka and building gates to separate those parts in the colonial period. The trend of building gates was evident in the Mughal era.”

THREATS OF DESTRUCTION

The 150-year-old gate has no such ‘historical significance,’ believes Muntassir Mamoon.

He, however, said constructing a metro rail at that point of the city was not right, and the metro rail should have been built in Shahbagh. This is because the campus houses quite a few historical monuments and the metro rail would destroy their beauty.

“We have nothing to do now, as it is already done. Now we must conserve the historical monuments.”

The existence of Dhaka Gate is now at stake because of the metro rail project, said Prof Shahnewaz. “According to The Antiquities Act, 1968, any structure more than 100 years old becomes a heritage. This is our heritage. The Department of Archaeology should conserve it.”

The gate has a historical significance, said Dr AKM Khademul Haque, a teacher of Islamic history and culture at Dhaka University. “Once it was the endpoint of Dhaka city or the northern entrance to the city. This type of structure is always conserved around the world,” he said.

“I don’t know why we’re not conserving it. Demolishing a heritage structure is not a solution. We must plan on how to build new ones while keeping this intact.”

The government has also listed Mir Jumla’s Gate as a heritage site for conservation, but the authorities could not say why the structure is not conserved.

“Since it is situated on the Dhaka University campus, we have some issues with the land, although I’m not clear about it. We’ll study it and take necessary measures to conserve it,” said Ratan Chandra Pandit, an additional director general at the Department of Archaeology.

Dhaka University will maintain and conserve all the structures of national importance on the campus after the metro rail is built, said Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman. “We’ll conserve all of them in coordination with the government agencies.”