Brief
Historic and archaeological importance of the majestic house of poet Quazi Kader Newaj, an icon of Bangla literature, has been lying uncared in Sreepur upazila town under Magura district, as the authorities concerned are ignoring its tourism potentials.
The poet is specially recalled for his masterpiece of poetry ‘Shikhaker Marjada’. The poet was also a freedom fighter as he played an important role during the liberation war. He was also a good teacher. The poet and his kin were buried along this majestic building.
The splendid building still stands tall along the bank of the Kumar River beckoning the people passing by it to have a look of its grandeur and magnificence. None can resist the temptation of taking a look at the captivating old structure when one passes by it.
In the absence of proper maintenance and renovation, weeds have grown in and around the house while the mossy bricks are crumbling down from the decaying structure. The house has lost much of its charm of terracotta due to the authorities’ negligence. Locals have already taken away many of the bricks, plaques, wooden doors and windows. The house has become a safe haven for drug addicts and gamblers due to lack of proper initiatives for its preservation and maintenance. Local people use the building as their cowshed and it has turned into the public toilet.
Unfortunately, the government has done nothing to renovate the palace, though the historic site can fetch a large amount of revenue every year.
Where to Stay
Although Magura is a beautiful district, it lacks good accommodation facilities. There are no notable hotels to stay in Magura. Few hotels are available but their quality of service is likely to be disappointing.
1. Hotel Chalantika
Manager/Owner: Sagar Biswas
Address: Chourangir Mor, Sayed Ator Ali Road, Magura Sadar Upazila
Contact: 880 1712-752754
You can also find foods in this hotel.
2. Chaya bithi (Government)
Manager/Owner: Zila Parishad
Address: Magura Sadar Upazila, Magura
3. Dak Banglo (Government)
Owner/Manager: Zila Parishad
Address: Magura Sadar Upazila, Magura
4. Magura Circuit House (Government)
Owner/Manager: Deputy Collector, Magura
Contact (Deputy Collector): 0488-62715
Contact (Circuit House): 0488-62201
Address: Magura Sadar Upazila, Magura
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[0] => Array
(
[name] => Panam Nagar
[post_id] => 11238
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/panam-nagar/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/229750_223480837697299_316414_n1-225x300.jpg
[post_content] =>
Panam Nagar (পানাম নগর), ancient Painam, a locality now in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj district. It is about 2.5 kilometre to the north of Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Mograpara point. It is said to have been the site of Hindu capital city of Sonargaon emerging in the seventh decade of the thirteenth century. The Panam area formed part of the Muslim metropolis developed on the south of the old city, and perhaps constituted 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. The pucca road which leads from the Mograpara crossing on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in the direction of Panam extending up to the Neel-Kuthi looks like a dividing line between medieval Sonargaon and the present Panamnagar, the only surviving relics of the Panam area. The Panam township stands on the east of this road opposite Aminpur, and a one-arched humped bridge leads from the same road over a narrow canal to the main street of Panamnagar.
In all probability the present Panamnagar grew as a by-product of the commercial activities of the english east india company and of the Permanent Settlement. The East India Company established their factory in Panam for the purchase of muslin and other cotton fabrics. The Company, for the purchase of muslin, used to distribute annually to the weavers from their factory in Panam as much as a lakh of rupees as dadni (dadni system advance), and it is estimated that there were then 1400 families of Hindu and Muslim weavers in and around Panam.
Sonargaon developed into a center of trade in cotton fabrics, chiefly English piece goods, during the colonial period, and thereby grew the new township of Panamnagar. A group of Hindu talukdars, who came into being from among the traders in the nineteenth century, chose this site for their residence. The existing brick buildings of Panamnagar, obviously the residence of the Hindu merchant-talukdars, can be dated back to early nineteenth, and the later ones to late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Panamnagar which developed in the nineteenth century, continued to flourish till the end of the Second World War.
Panamnagar, a unique township, stretched in a single street 5 meter wide on the average and 600 meter in length. All the buildings have the character of urban street front houses and are lined up on either side of this street which ends up at the Panam bazar. Fifty-two houses exist in dilapidated and disused condition having 31 in the north side of the street and 21 on the south. Panamnagar appears to be well protected by artificial canals all around. Two fairly wide canals run parallel to the street on its either side and joined by a narrow canal on the western side over which is the entrance bridge (Panamnagar Bridge). On the eastern side, the canal on the south swerves rightward and goes eastward crossing the north-south road that passes through the Panam bazar. The northern canal, the Pankhiraj Khal, runs eastward to meet the Meghna-Menikhali stream.
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[1] => Array
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[name] => Gouripur Lodge
[post_id] => 22266
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/gouripur-lodge/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/P_20151014_090510_1_p-300x169.jpg
[post_content] => Gouripur Lodge (গৌরীপুর লজ) is a signature of golden Zamindari period and an old edifice in Mymensingh town. This archaic building is located near the main town. One can go there using rickshaw easily. It is very near to the Boro Bazar. Though, the purpose and time of establishment is not known to all; however, it can be discovered if further research is conducted there.
It was made using iron, tin and wood. Structure of the building is similar to the Zamindar Mansion of that period. History tells that it was built by Brozendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury (ব্রজেন্দ্র কিশোর রায় চৌধুরী).
Now it is being used as Sonali Bank Corporate office of Mymensingh city. Government officers and few of their subordinates are currently living at that mansion. It has around 20 rooms inside. Anyone can visit there at anytime. You may not have the permission to enter inside, but easily can get access to the mansion premises.
)
[2] => Array
(
[name] => {:en}Shilaidaha Kuthibari{:}{:bn}শিয়ালদহ কুঠিবাড়ি{:}
[post_id] => 1875
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/shilaidaha-kuthibari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Tagore_Kuthibari-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) frequently visited and used to stay in Shilaidaha Kuthibari in connection with the administration of his Zamindari and enriched Bengali literature through his quality writing during that time. He wrote many memorable poems during his stay here. He built it as his residence/office for collecting revenue as a zamindar, from local peasants. It is now a museum under Archaeology department of Ministry of Cultural Affairs.{:}{:bn}বিশ্বকবি রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর (১৮৬১-১৯৪১) প্রায়ই এখানে আসতেন এবং অবস্থান করতেন। তিনি তাঁর জমিদারি তদারকি করার জন্য এখানে অবস্থান করতেন। এখানে অবস্থানকালে রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর তাঁর লেখনীর মাধ্যমে সাহিত্য চর্চা করতেন। এখানে অবস্থানকালে তিনি অনেক স্মরণীয় কবিতা রচনা করেন। জমিদার হিসেবে স্থানীয় কৃষকদের কাছ থেকে খাজনা আদায়ের জন্য তিনি কুঠিবাড়িকে তাঁর আবাস/দফতর হিসেবে ব্যবহার করতেন। বর্তমানে সংস্কৃতি মন্ত্রনালয়ের প্রত্নতত্ত্ব অধিদফতরের অধীনে কুঠিবাড়িকে একটি জাদুঘর হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হচ্ছে।{:}
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => Millpara (Mohini Mill Area)
[post_id] => 22124
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/millpara-mohini-mill-area/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/P_20151017_112833_1_p-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
Mohini mill was the largest factory compound area in the entire Indian territory during the year 1912. It was a textile industrial area to produce fine quality fabrics. Millpara (Mohini Mill Area) bears the proud memories of mass people and symbolizes the historic significance of Industrial development. The combined effort by Mohini Mohon Chakraborty, Poet Rabindranath Tagore, Jogot Kishore Chowdhury and Chomon Lal made this possible to establish this Mills in the year 1912 on an area of 99 bigha.
For the economical freedom of the people in this region Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman nationalize that Mills in the year 1972 and his directions paved the way to open a new unit of BMRE (Balancing Modernizing Reconstructing Engineering).
This mills was running well until 1982. Later onward this mills fall in great loss as a result of conspiracy and corruptions by few selfish people. On 5th of February 1982 this mills was announced to close its door and black day came for 3000 labors at that time. After the closing labors didn’t stop their movement for the re-opening of this Mills. Later by the order of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this Mills re opened for the labors on 17th of February 2009. But the scheming and corruption didn’t stop. Which at last result in permanent closing and this Mills was sold to private sector in the April, 2013. For now being this Mills is closed and stopped working.
)
)
