DHAKA

also spelled Dacca, city and capital of Bangladesh, located just north of the Burhi Ganga River, a channel of the Dhaleswari, in the south-central part of the country. Its name is said to refer to the dhak tree, once common in the area, or to Dhakswari (The Hidden Goddess), whose shrine is located in the western part of the city. Dhaka's history can be traced to the 1st millennium AD, but it did not rise to prominence until the 17th century, when it served as the Mughal capital of Bengal province (160839 and 16601704). It was the centre of a flourishing sea trade, attracting English, French, and Dutch traders. Historic buildings of the Muslim period include Lal Bagh fort (1678) and its tomb of Bibi Pari (d. 1684), wife of a governor of Bengal; the Bara Katra (great caravansary; 1664); the Chhota Katra (small caravansary; 1663); and Husayni Dalan (a religious monument of the Shi'ite sect; 1642). Other 17th-century buildings include the Hindu Dhakeswari temple and Tejgaon church, built by the Portuguese. The more than 700 mosques, including Bayt ul-Mukarram, date back to the 15th century. With the removal of the provincial capital to Murshidabad (1704) and the decline of the muslin industry, Dhaka entered a period of decline. It passed under British control in 1765, was constituted a municipality in 1864, but continued to decay until it was designated capital of Eastern Bengal and Assam province (190512). During the early 20th century Dhaka served as a commercial centre and seat of learning. It became the capital of East Bengal province (1947) and of East Pakistan (1956). Dhaka suffered heavy damage during the war of independence in 1971 but emerged as the capital of Bangladesh. Together with its river port of Narayanganj, 10 miles (16 km) south, Dhaka now houses the largest industrial concentration in the country. Traditional products include jamdani (fine-quality muslin), embroidery, silk, and jewelry. The city also contains the University of Dhaka (1921) and Jahangirnagar University (1970), numerous affiliated government colleges, an engineering and technology university, a nuclear-science training and research centre, a library, and a museum. The area around Dhaka consists of a level plain bounded by the Meghna, Padma (Ganges), and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers. The plain is crossed by a network of streams and rivers, the chief being the Dhaleswari, Burhi Ganga, and Lakhya. Important crops are rice, jute, sugarcane, and oilseeds; there is also a government cattle farm. Industries include jute processing and the manufacture of rope, string, baskets, cotton cloth, and boats. The area includes the ancient city of Vikrampur, former capital of the Pala rulers of Bengal (8th12th century). Pop. (1981) city, 2,790,000; (1987 est.) metropolitan area, 4,770,000.