Hajiganj Fort

Type: ইতিহাস ও প্রত্নতত্ত্ব

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image of Hajiganj Fort

image of Hajiganj Fort

image of Hajiganj Fort

image of Hajiganj Fort

image of Hajiganj Fort

image of Hajiganj Fort

Brief

Hajiganj Fort (হাজীগঞ্জ দুর্গ) also called Khizrpur Fort, situated at Hajiganj locality of Narayanganj on the western bank of the Sitalakshya (শীতলক্ষ্যা). Having the characteristics of a water fort, it was originally built just at the point where the old Buriganga (বুরিগঙ্গা) discharged into the Sitalakshya. It may have been built soon after Islam Khan established the Mughal capital at Dhaka, and was intended to countercept the raids of the Magh and Portuguese pirates.

The fort, quadrangular in size, consists of a pentagonal curtain wall machicolated for muskets with rounded corner bastions. On the inner side of the curtain wall there is 1.22 meter high rampart walkway from the base of the curtain wall which is itself pierced by several musketry holes. Each of the corner bastions has staircase inside up to the rampart level and its merlons have wider holes in between meant for gun firing. In a corner of the fort quadrangle there is a free tall square column of brickwork which seems to be a guard tower. The existence of this column links the fort with other water forts of the time. The existence of the elevated platform for the setting of cannons is an important feature of the fort.

The only small gateway of the fort towards the river side suggests that the means of communication was by the river. The pentagonal gateway is placed in a rectangular structure with engraved rectangular arches on the both sides. The top of the gateway is decorated with lotus finial. There having no other structure inside the fort, it seems that the fort was occupied only in the rainy season when the pirates were expected, and that the occupants used tents as their shades. The fort area is now being used as the Fire Brigade headquarters of Narayanganj.

How to go

Hajiganj Fort is located at the center of the Narayanganj town. You shouldn’t face any difficulties to locate this fort. At first,Come to the Chashara (চাষাড়া) of Narayanganj using BRTC or any similar buses departing from Gulistan. Fare is around 40 taka per person. You can use train too. From Chashara take a rickshaw and ask the driver to drop you at the Hajiganj Fort. Local people know this as Kella instead of Dugo/Fort.

How To Reach: নারায়ণগঞ্জ জেলা

The distance from Dhaka to Narayanganj is 28.1 km, which is around 47 minutes travel from the Dhaka city. By air, the distance between Dhaka and Narayanganj is 13.71 km. This distance is equal to 8.52 miles, and 7.4 nautical miles. These directions are for planning purposes only. You may find that construction projects, traffic, weather or other events may cause conditions to differ from this, and you should plan your route accordingly. You must obey all signs or notices regarding your route.

By Road

By Road:
1. Bandhan (From Motijheel to Narayanganj, Direct)
From Motijheel to Narayanganj

2. Ekata (From Gulistan to Narayanganj)
From Gulistan to Shib Market, Narayanganj

3. Ullash (From Gulistan to Narayanganj)
From Gulistan to Narayanganj

Where to Stay

1. Hotel Meheran
Shonaton Pal len road
Narayanganj

2. Hotel Shonali
1no. Railgate, Pal road
Narayanganj

3. Hotel Narayanganj
1no. Sirajuddoula road
Naryanganj

4. Hotel Shugondha
Liakat Super Market,12/20 Digu babur bazar
Narayanganj

5. Hotel Shurma
17no. Shahid Sohrawardi road
Narayanganj

6. Hotel Rupayan
6no. S.S. road
Narayanganj

Things to do

There are a few number of Water fort existing in different region of Bangladesh. This is one of those. Similarity in architectural properties with Idrakpur Mughol water fort proves that it might be constructed in the temporary timeline. If you would like to study and observe Mughol stylistic water fort, then it’s a better option awaiting just nearby Dhaka.

Eating Facilities

There are many local restaurants and hotels are available around the Bandar area. Beside those, Referred to where to eat in Narayanganj, click here

Map

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Sonakanda Fort (সোনাকান্দা দুর্গ) a Mughal river-fort located on the eastern bank of the Shitalakshya (শীতলক্ষ্যা) at port area. A group of river forts, constructed by the Mughals, guarded the water routes to Dhaka and other places of strategic importance and the Sonakanda Fort is one of them. The fort, under the protection of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, has been restored and repaired several times. The defensive walls and the massive artillery platform are still in existence. It is quadrangular in plan,measuring 86.56 m × 57.0 m and surrounded by a 1.06 m thick brick-wall, 3.05 meter in height, with inner and intermediate bastions.

The wall is built solid at the bottom. There is a circular artillery platform with a staircase on the west side, which leads up to the raised artillery platform to be entered by a five-foil arched gateway. The artillery platform, meant for a big calibre cannon aiming at the attackers coming up the river, is a new feature of the Mughal river forts in Bengal.

The platform has two circles of which the inner is 15.70m and the outer is 19.35m in diameter respectively. It is 6.09m in height and surrounded by walls. The corner bastions on both sides of the western wing are wider than those of the eastern wing, which are 4.26m, while the two on the western wing are 6.85m in diameter. The fort has two main parts; one is a fortified rampart wall of enormous dimension, which has numerous wide and narrow loopholes. And the other part, the most important one, is a raised outwork on the western face. Excepting the artillery platform, there is no trace of any permanent structure within the fortification walls. All round, the walls are crowned by machicolated merlons, which are on average one metre high.

The fort is provided with a single entrance gate on the north. The arched gateway is placed within a rectangular frame and both the sides are decorated with several plastered panels. The lofty arch of the entrance gateway is of the four-centred variety. There are four corner bastions. Unlike the bastions of the forts at Hajiganj and Idrakpur the bastions of this fort are octagonal in plan.

The fort is not dated by any inscription. Though the construction of this fort is attributed to Mir Jumla, there is no evidence for this. On stylistic similarities with other Mughal river-forts in and around Dhaka it is datable to the mid-17th century.

) [1] => Array ( [name] => Chilla kotha [post_id] => 11310 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/chilla-kotha/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_63031-300x225.jpg [post_content] =>

Chilla kotha is a one storeyed rectangular shaped building which is locally known as Andhar kotha. There are three rooms existing inside the whole building. These rooms are almost same in dimension. The interesting thing is there is a secret room in the underground level, which is connected with a staircase to way out at the south-east corner of this building. The underground room is so dark as there is no ventilation system or window inside of it. There are some rectangular shaped panel outside the building.

The specific time period of this architecture is not known. Historians could dig the history as far as possible and from their review we got to know that the time period of Crori City of Panam Nogor and Chillakatha is the same.

Myth: Local people believes that it was being used as a meditation and praying place for different Muslim Saint & Sadhus. Specially, there is a belief among the local people that when some saints do their praying & meditation inside the Under ground room of this building then it was enlightened with a picture of Mekka Sharif. Some people also said that it was being used as a torcher cell for punishing people commited crime went against the rituals of Islam. In every year from the 25^th of January a very local festival named ‘Oros sharif’ has been celebrated annually. Many people from different direction come to join this event.

Recently this building is almost being abandoned. The outer front side has been demolished and being decaying day by day. Necessary steps should be taken to conserve and preserve it for future generation.

) [2] => Array ( [name] => Balapur Zamindar House [post_id] => 17404 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/balapur-zamindar-house/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Balapur-Zamindar-House-2-200x300.jpg [post_content] =>

In different location of Narsingdi district there are a number of Archaeological sites which attract traveler and explorer to visit these places recurrently. Balapur Zamindar House (বালাপুর জমিদার বাড়ি) is one of the old palatial buildings in this district. If someone interested to visit the oldest buried civilization area in Bangladesh named as Wari-Bateshwar, then it would be better to take a glance at Balapur Zamindar House while moving there. It’s situated at Balapur village, Madhabdi Upazila of Narsingdi district.

This Zamindar House was built by local Zamindar named 'Nobin Chandra Saha' in 1906. It is also known as Zamindar Kali Babur Bari (কালী বাবুর বাড়ি). It’s a complex of buildings scattered in a particular zone. Basically, most of the buildings are three storied and some are one or two storied. Dept. of Archaeology in Bangladesh doesn’t announced it as a protected site yet. So like many others old houses in Bangladesh it is on the way of ruining.

No matter how decorative and ornamented this house is, it’s almost abandoned and some people who living in this house are so called ancestor of Zamindari estate at Balapur. Some local people are selling all the floor tiles made by white stone desperately.

But, Still today this beautiful palace standing with its own identity and spreading the essence of colonial palatial architecture in Bengal. If proper steps being taken this structure can be preserved & conserved for the future exhibiotion.

) [3] => Array ( [name] => Panam Bridge [post_id] => 11590 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/panam-bridge/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/120-300x169.jpg [post_content] =>

Panam area is formed as a part of the Muslim metropolis, developed on the south of the old city, and perhaps constituted as the place of residence of the early Muslim governors'. After the Mughal conquest of Sonargaon (1611), the Panam area was connected with the ruling metropolis by construction of highways and bridges. Panam still possesses three brick bridges belonging to the Mughal period: Panam Bridge, Dalalpur Bridge and Panamnagar Bridge. The existence of these bridges and the canals enclosing the site on three sides is indicative of its being a suburban area of the medieval city.

Panam Bridge a fine old bridge constructed originally over a canal on a village road from Hajiganj to Baidyer Bazar, now located a little further to the east of Habibpur on a pucca road between Companyganj and Bari Majlis in Sonargaon. It was originally known as Companyganj ka Pul (কোম্পানিগঞ্জের পুল). The Bridge measuring about 53 meter in length and 5 metre in breadth consists of three arches, the middle arch being wider and higher providing easy passage of boats underneath. The steep roadway is formed of bricks circularly arranged. The architectural feature places the bridge to belong to the Mughal period (17th century).

) )

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Narayanganj: Hajiganj Fort(হাজীগঞ্জ দুর্গ)

To hinder any unwanted entries through this river, several observatory forts have been built around. The Hajiganj Fort(হাজীগঞ্জ দুর্গ) is one of those observatory forts.

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