Timeline of Dhaka
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Prior to 19th century
- 8th century CE – Dhaka part of Pala Empire.
- 1095 – Senas in power.
- 1457 – Binat Bibi Mosque constructed.
- 1459 – Gate built.
- 1580s – Portuguese merchants open the first European trading post in Dhaka.
- 1610 – City renamed Jahangirnagar; becomes capital of Bengal; Mughal Islam Khan in power.
- 1639 – Capital relocated from Dhaka to Rajmahal.
- 1640 – Mughal Eidgah mosque built.
- 1642 – Hussaini Dalan built.
- 1645 – Bara Katra built.
- 1646 – Navaratna temple built.
- 1649 – Lalbagh Fort mosque built.
- 1659 – Capital relocated to Dhaka from Rajmahal.
- 1660 – Pagla bridge built on Dacca-Narayangaj road.
- 1682 – 25 October: William Hedges, the first Agent and Governor of East India Company in the Bay of Bengal, arrived Dhaka.
- 1663 – Choto Katra built.
- 1668 – English Factory built.
- 1676 – Chowk Bazaar Shai Mosque built.
- 1677 – Holy Rosary Church built by Portuguese.
- 1678 – Lalbagh palace construction begins.
- 1679 – Shahbaz Khan Mosque and Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque built.
- 1696
- * Mosque of Haji Kahjeh Shahabag built in Ramne.
- * Jayakali temple and Siva temple built in Thatari Bazar.
- 1704 – Murshid Quli Khan residence relocates from Dhaka to Murshidabad.
- 1717 – Khan Muhammad Ali Khan becomes deputy governor.
- 1723 – Itisam Khan becomes deputy governor.
- 1728 – Mirza Lutfullah becomes deputy governor.
- 1756 – Jasarat Khan becomes deputy governor.
- 1765
- * British East India Company in power.
- * Population: 450,000.
- 1781 – Armenian Church built.
- 1793 – Laxmi Narayan Mandir built.
- 1800 – Population: 200,000.
19th century
- 1815
- * Catholic church built.
- * Lunatic Asylum founded.
- 1819 – St. Thomas Church built.
- 1825 – Population: 150,000.
- 1830
- * Iron suspension bridge constructed across Dullye Creek.
- * Gurdwara Nanak Shahi built.
- * Population: 66,989.
- 1834 – Ghaziuddin Haider becomes deputy governor.
- 1835 – Dhaka Collegiate School established.
- 1840 – Population bottoms out at 50,000.
- 1846 – Union School is established to give the poor an English education.
- 1850 – Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Bengal established.
- 1857 – Uprising of sepoys.
- 1858
- * City becomes part of British Raj.
- * Mitford Hospital established.
- 1864 – 1 August: Dacca Municipality established.
- 1866 – Langar Khana founded.
- 1872 – Population: 69,212.
- 1874 – Madrasa established.
- 1875 – Medical school established.
- 1876 – Dhaka Survey School is established to teach surveying and road building in the vernacular.
- 1878
- * Water-works in operation.
- * Eden Girls' College established.
- 1880 – Northbrook Hall built.
- 1881 – Population: 79,076.
- 1882 – St Gregory's School founded.
- 1883 – Jagannth College founded.
- 1885 – Revenue service begins on the Narayanganj-Dhaka portion of the Dacca State Railway.
- 1886 – Mymensingh-Dhaka railway opens.
- 1888
- * April: Tornado.
- * Ahsan Manzil rebuilt.
- 1892 – 16 March: Jeanette Rummary makes the first balloon ascension and parachute jump in Dhaka's history as a member of a travelling aerial exhibition led by Park Van Tassel.
- 1897 – 12 June: Earthquake.
20th century
1900s–1960s
- 1901 – Population: 90,542; district of Dacca: 2,649,522.
- 1902 – April: Tornado.
- 1904 – Curzon Hall built.
- 1905 – City becomes capital of [Partition of Bengal Subah|Bengal (1905)|newly formed] East Bengal and Assam province.
- 1906 – December: All India Muhammadan Educational Conference held.
- 1909 – Baldha Garden laid out.
- 1911 – Dhaka Club organized.
- 1918 – Influenza outbreak.
- 1921 – University of Dhaka established.
- 1946 – Dhaka Medical College established.
- 1947 – City becomes capital of East Bengal, a province of newly independent Pakistan.
- 1949 – All Pakistan Women's Association East Pakistan Branch organized.
- 1951
- * Habib Productions theatre troupe active.
- * Area of city: 85 square kilometers.
- * Population: 411,279.
- 1952 – Asiatic Society organized.
- 1953 – Holy Family Hospital built.
- 1954
- * Dhaka Stock Exchange incorporated.
- * Dacca Stadium and New Market built.
- 1955
- * City becomes capital of East Pakistan.
- * Bangla Academy established.
- 1956
- * Drama Circle active.
- * RAJUK Bhaban built.
- 1959 – Alliance Française de Dhaka founded.
- 1960 – Islamia Eye Hospital and Cholera Research Hospital founded.
- 1961 – Tejgaon College established.
- 1964 – Bangabhaban reconstructed.
- 1965 – Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research and Jinnah College founded.
- 1967 – Officers' Club established.
- 1968
- * Protests against Ayub Khan regime.
- * Baitul Mukarram built.
1970s–1990s
- 1970
- * November: Bhola cyclone.
- * Jiraz Art Gallery in business.
- 1971
- * 7 March: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman speaks at Ramna Race Course Maidan.
- * 25 March: Bangladesh Liberation War begins; Dhaka University massacre.
- * 27 March: Ramna Kali Mandir razed.
- * 16 December: Instrument of Surrender signed.
- * City becomes capital of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
- * The Bangladesh Observer newspaper in publication.
- 1972
- * Ekushey Book Fair begins.
- * Dhaka Shishu Hospital established.
- * Abahani Limited sports club formed.
- * Shaheed Minar rebuilt.
- 1973 – Dhaka Theatre established.
- 1974
- * Abul Hasnat becomes mayor.
- * Dhaka Zoo established.
- * Saju Art Gallery in business.
- * Population: 1,730,253 urban agglomeration.
- 1975
- * Islamic Foundation Bangladesh formed.
- * 15 August: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is assassinated.
- * 3 November: Awami League leaders killed in Dhaka Central Jail.
- 1976 – Dhaka Metropolitan Police department established.
- 1977 – 2 October: Coup attempt.
- 1980 – School of the Society for Education in Theatre established.
- 1981
- * Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation organized.
- * Area of city: 510 square kilometers.
- * Population: 3,440,147.
- 1982
- * Mahamudul Hassan becomes mayor.
- * Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban constructed.
- * Mirpur and Gulshan become part of Dhaka municipality.
- 1983 – Bangladesh Shilpa Bank Bhaban built.
- 1985
- * December: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit held.
- * Bangladesh Bank Building and Janata Bank Bhaban constructed.
- * The National Library of Bangladesh moves into a new, purpose-built facility.
- 1986 – Bangladesh Medical College established.
- 1989
- * Maziur Rhaman becomes mayor.
- * Dhaka Pantomime group formed.
- 1990 – Abul Hasnat becomes mayor.
- 1991
- * Mirza Abbas becomes mayor.
- * Daily Star newspaper begins publication.
- * Area of city: 1,353 square kilometers.
- * Population: 6,887,459.
- 1993
- * Independent University, Bangladesh was established.
- 1994
- * Mohammad Hanif becomes mayor.
- * Puppet Development Centre opens.
- 1995
- * Pantapath road and Dhaka Nagar Bhaban constructed.
- * Dhaka Imperial College established.
- 1996 – East West University established.
- 1998 – Prothom Alo newspaper begins publication.
- 1999 – March: D-8 summit held.
- 2000
- * Chobi Mela International Photography Festival begins.
- * Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts opens.
21st century
- 2001
- * BRAC University established.
- * Area of city: 1,530 square kilometers.
- 2002
- * Sadeque Hossain Khoka becomes mayor.
- * China Bangladesh Friendship Center built.
- 2004 – Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre and Bashundhara City open.
- 2005
- * Jagannath College transformed into Jagannath University
- *Concord Grand built.
- 2008 – Population: 7,000,940.
- 2011
- * Hay Festival begins.
- * Population: 8,906,035.
- 2012
- * April: Demonstration.
- * Dhaka Gladiators cricket team formed.
- * City Centre constructed.
- * City designated a Capital of Islamic Culture.
- 2013
- * Protests in Shahbag.
- * 2013 Savar building collapse.
- 2014 – Air pollution in Dhaka reaches annual mean of 85 PM2.5 and 150 PM10, much higher than recommended.
- 2016 – 1 July: Gulshan attack.
- 2019 – 20 February: Chowk Bazaar fire.