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.
Once the cannon got half-buried under the sand in 1840, Magistrate Walters placed it in the Chawkbazar area. After that, its location changed several times. The cannon was installed at Sadarghat in 1925 with the patronage of Nalini Kanta Bhattasali, the then director of the museum in Dhaka. In 1957, GA Madani, chairman of the then Dhaka Improvement Trust (DIT), shifted the cannon to Gulistan, which was known as DIT Avenue at the time. After staying there for three years, it was shifted to Osmani Udyan in 1983. Lastly, the cannon has been installed next to the newly renovated Dhaka Gate. As such, this cannon has not been a mere war tool; it has witnessed the historical turning points of Dhaka.
You must be logged in to use lightbox functionality