Greater Dhaka
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Greater Dhaka () is the
Megalopolis A megalopolis () or a supercity, also called a megaregion, is a group of metropolitan areas which are perceived as a continuous urban area through common systems of transport, economy, resources, ecology, and so on. They are integrated enough ...
including and surrounding the
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
i capital city of
Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
, which has grown into one of the world's largest megacities, and shows a very rapid rate of expansion. Dhaka not only grows because it is the capital and largest urban centre but also due to massive internal displacement from millions of people living in a perennially flood-prone river delta.


Definition

The area of Dhaka Statistical Metropolitan Area was 1,353 square kilometers, of which Dhaka City Corporation occupied 276 square kilometers at the 2001 census. The Dhaka Statistical Metropolitan Area (SMA) covers the Dhaka Municipal Corporation area and
Savar Upazila Savar () is an upazila of Dhaka District in the division of Dhaka Division, Dhaka, Bangladesh and is located at a distance of about 24 kilometers (15 mi) to the northwest of Dhaka city. Savar is mostly famous for the National Martyrs' Memori ...
and
Keraniganj Upazila Keraniganj () is an upazila of Dhaka District in the division of Dhaka, Bangladesh. History It is believed that during the reign of Nawab Shaista Khan the ''paik-peyada'' and clerical staff (''kerani'') of the Nawab used to live on the other s ...
of
Dhaka District Dhaka District () is a Districts of Bangladesh, district in central Bangladesh, and is the densest district in the nation. It is a part of the Dhaka Division. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, rests on the eastern banks of the Buriganga River ...
(note: only a portion of the district is part of the metropolitan area),
Narayanganj Sadar Upazila Narayanganj Sadar () is an upazila of Narayanganj District in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. Geography Narayanganj Sadar is located at . It has 476,148 households and total area 100.74 km2. Demographics According to the 2022 Census of Bangl ...
,
Bandar Upazila Bandar () is an upazila (sub-district) of the Narayanganj District in central Bangladesh, part of the Dhaka Division. Bandar is a part of Greater Dhaka; the conurbation surrounding the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka. Geography Bandar is located ...
and
Rupganj Upazila Rupganj () is an upazila of Narayanganj District in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. Geography Rupganj is located at . It has 188,226 households and total area 176.48 km2. Demographics According to the 2022 Bangladeshi census, 2022 Census of B ...
of
Narayanganj District Narayanganj District () is a district in central Bangladesh which is a part of Dhaka Division. It is the smallest district in Bangladesh. It is home to the ancient city of one of the oldest industrial districts in the country. The district lies on ...
,
Gazipur Sadar Upazila Gazipur Sadar () is an upazila (sub-district) of the Gazipur District in central Bangladesh, part of the Dhaka Division. Gazipur Sadar is one of the five upazilas in the Gazipur district. It is bordered by the upazilas of Sreepur, Kaliganj Upazila ...
and
Kaliakair Upazila Kaliakair () is an upazila (sub-district) of the Gazipur District in central Bangladesh, part of the Dhaka Division. Geography Kaliakair is located at . It has 45,565 households and total area 314.14 km2. It is bounded by Mirzapur and Sakhip ...
of
Gazipur District Gazipur District () is a district in central Bangladesh, that is part of the Dhaka Division. It has an area of 1806.36 km2. It is the home district of Tajuddin Ahmad, the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh and has been a prominent centre o ...
. New 2021 estimates for Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (web) tally just over 24 million for 3 districts in their entirety. (white area in map also includes 6 districts:
Manikganj Manikganj is a town situated in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. It is the headquarters of Manikganj District and Manikganj Sadar Upazila. Manikganj is a relatively pollution-free town of Bangladesh. The recent urbanization and highway built joining ...
,
Munshiganj Munshiganj (), historically known as Bikrampur, is a town in Dhaka division in central Bangladesh. It is the headquarters of Munshiganj District. Munshiganj is one of the world's oldest continually inhabited urban place. Etymology Munshiganj w ...
and Narsindi)


History

Greater Dhaka, encompassing the capital city of Bangladesh and its surrounding metropolitan areas, has a rich and diverse history spanning over a thousand years. From its early settlements to its emergence as the political and economic centre of the nation, Dhaka has played a crucial role in the historical evolution of Bengal. The history of Dhaka dates back to ancient times, with archaeological evidence suggesting human settlements in the region as early as the 7th century CE. The area was part of various ancient and medieval states, including the
Maurya The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary sourc ...
and
Gupta Empire The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...
s, as well as the
Pala Pala may refer to: Places Chad *Pala, Chad, the capital of the region of Mayo-Kebbi Ouest Estonia * Pala, Kose Parish, village in Kose Parish, Harju County * Pala, Kuusalu Parish, village in Kuusalu Parish, Harju County * Pala, Järva County, ...
and Sena dynasties. During this period, Dhaka was known for its strategic location along trade routes, particularly due to its proximity to major rivers.


Mughal Period

The transformation of Dhaka into a prominent urban centre began during the
Mughal era The Mughal Empire was an early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to the highlands of pre ...
. In 1608, the Mughal Subahdar Islam Khan Chishti declared
Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
the capital of
Bengal Subah The Bengal Subah (Bengali language, Bengali: সুবাহ বাংলা, ), also referred to as Mughal Bengal and Bengal State (after 1717), was one of the puppet states and the largest subah, subdivision of The Mughal India, Mughal Emp ...
, replacing Rajmahal. The city was named Jahangirnagar in honor of
Emperor Jahangir Nur-ud-din Muhammad Salim (31 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was Emperor of Hindustan from 1605 until his death in 1627, and the fourth Mughal Emperor. Born as Prince Salim, he was the third and o ...
. Under Mughal rule, Dhaka flourished as a hub of trade and commerce, particularly in the textile industry. Muslin fabric produced in Dhaka gained international fame, attracting merchants from Europe and the Middle East. The Mughal rulers constructed several significant architectural structures, including
Lalbagh Fort The Lalbagh Fort () is a historic fort situated in the old city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Its name is derived from its neighbourhood Lalbagh, which means Red Garden. The term Lalbagh refers to reddish and pinkish hues in the Mughal architecture. Th ...
, Chawkbazar Mosque, and
Bara Katra Bara Katra (; ) is one of the oldest historical and architectural monuments in Dhaka. The word Katra may have originated from Arabic word Katara which means colonnaded building. 'Katra/ katara' in Arabic and Persian means 'Caravan (Karwan) Sar ...
, many of which still stand today. The city expanded with the construction of mosques, bridges, caravanserais, and gardens, solidifying its status as a major administrative and economic centre.


Colonial Period

Following the decline of Mughal rule, Dhaka came under the control of the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
in 1765 and later became part of
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
. The city experienced a period of economic stagnation as
Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
(then Calcutta) emerged as the primary administrative and commercial hub of British Bengal. However, Dhaka remained an important cultural and trade centre, particularly in the jute industry. The establishment of educational institutions, such as
Dhaka College Dhaka College (), informally known as DC, is a public educational institution of Bangladesh located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the subcontinent. It offers Honours degree, honours and Master's degree ...
(1841) and later the
University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public university, public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka w ...
(1921), contributed to the intellectual and political awakening of the region.


Partition and Pakistan Era

With the partition of British India in 1947, Dhaka became the capital of
East Pakistan East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Burma, wit ...
, a province of the newly formed
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
. This period saw significant infrastructural development, including the establishment of government offices, new industries, and educational institutions. However, tensions between East and
West Pakistan West Pakistan was the western province of Pakistan between One Unit, 1955 and Legal Framework Order, 1970, 1970, covering the territory of present-day Pakistan. Its land borders were with Afghanistan, India and Iran, with a maritime border wit ...
grew due to linguistic, economic, and political discrimination, culminating in the
Bengali Language Bengali, also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Bangla (, , ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. ...
Movement of 1952 and the eventual rise of nationalist sentiments. The city became the epicentre of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. On March 7, 1971,
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman and activist who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As the leader of Bangl ...
delivered his historic speech at the
Racecourse Ground The Racecourse Ground (), is a football stadium in Wrexham, Wales. It is the home of Wrexham A.F.C., Wrexham AFC. It is the largest stadium in North Wales and the List of football stadiums in Wales, fifth-largest in Wales. It is the world's o ...
(now Suhrawardy Udyan), calling for self-determination. The war officially began with
Operation Searchlight Operation Searchlight was a military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army in an effort to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in former East Pakistan in March 1971. Pakistan retrospectively justified the operation on the basis of ant ...
on March 25, 1971, when the
Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...
launched a brutal crackdown on Dhaka’s population. After nine months of conflict, Dhaka witnessed the surrender of the Pakistan Army on December 16, 1971, marking the independence of
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
.


Post-Independence and Modern Era

Following independence, Dhaka was declared the capital of Bangladesh. The city saw rapid urbanization and expansion as people from across the country migrated for better opportunities. The development of infrastructure, industries, and transportation networks transformed Dhaka into a major South Asian metropolis. The creation of satellite towns such as
Narayanganj Narayanganj () is a city in central Bangladesh in the Greater Dhaka area. It is in the Narayanganj District, about southeast of the capital city of Dhaka. With a population of almost 1 million, it is the 6th largest city in Bangladesh. It is als ...
,
Gazipur Gazipur () is a city in central Bangladesh. Located in Gazipur District in Dhaka Division, it is a major industrial city north of Dhaka. It is a hub for the textile industry in Bangladesh, with 75% of all garment industries situated there. ...
, and
Savar Savar () is a city in central Bangladesh, located in the Dhaka District in the division of Dhaka. It is the closest separate city to the centre of Dhaka. It is also a part of the Greater Dhaka conurbation which forms the Dhaka megacity. About ...
contributed to the concept of Greater Dhaka, encompassing a wider metropolitan area. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Greater Dhaka witnessed significant economic growth, particularly in the ready-made garment industry, telecommunications, and information technology. However, challenges such as overpopulation, traffic congestion, waterlogging, and environmental degradation have accompanied this growth. Today, Greater Dhaka is one of the world's most densely populated urban regions, serving as the political, economic, and cultural heart of Bangladesh. It is home to key government institutions, multinational corporations, renowned universities, and historical landmarks. Ongoing projects such as the
Dhaka Metro Rail The Dhaka Metro Rail () is a rapid transit, mass rapid transit system serving Dhaka (currently from Uttara North to Motijheel), the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. It is operated by the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL). Toget ...
, elevated expressways, and urban redevelopment initiatives aim to modernize the city while addressing infrastructural challenges. Despite its complexities, Greater Dhaka continues to be a dynamic and evolving megacity, reflecting the resilience and aspirations of its people.


Components of the Metropolitan Area

Since the 2001 Census, Dhaka has grown tremendously, as evidenced by the 2011 Census figures. However, definitions were changed between the two censuses, with several outlying ''upazilas'' situated in neighbouring administrative districts being included in the expanded definition. The following table shows the revision of the metropolitan area, shown in blue and red on map, based on 2011 figures:


References


External links


^ Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Statistical Pocket Book, 2008 (pdf-file)
2008 Population Estimate. View Page 7 for the population of Dhaka Metropolitan Area. {{World's most populous urban areas Geography of Dhaka Division Metropolitan areas of Bangladesh