Historical Dhaka Gate

Shafiul Alam

There is debate among historians and archaeologists as to when and why the gate was built. But archaeologists believe that it was built during the Mughal period. According to “Dhaka Kosh” published by the Asiatic Society, Mir Jumla built the Dhaka Gate between the years 1660 and 1663 to mark the boundaries of Dhaka and protect it from enemy attacks by land. Mir Jumla was the Subedar (administrator in charge of various provinces of the Mughal empire) of Bengal during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Over the centuries, this gate has been transformed. After rebuilding it in 1825, British Magistrate Charles Dawes named it Ramna Gate. The gate was damaged during British rule as well as military rule in East Pakistan. On the other hand, the real name of Mir Jumla’s cannon is Bibi Mariam cannon. But it is popularly known as Mir Jumla's cannon. The cannon weighing 64,815 pounds was installed in the Sowari Ghat area in front of Bara Katra in the capital after the Assam Campaign in the middle of the 17th century.