Other posts related to old-dhaka

If you do Old Dhaka only once, go during Durga Puja

October 1, 2008 3:42 pm

The Urban Study Group is at it again: this time they’re hosting a one day walk on 7 Oct, what will hopefully be one of the least busy times during Durga Puja, as its normally thronging with thousands of people. What follows is a calendar of events of what will happen over the festival, which has to be the best day of the entire year to visit Old Dhaka.

Straight from Taimur and Homaira:

Eid greetings and Puja greetings to everybody.

We have the largest and most important Hindu festival coming up at Shakhari Bazaar. Here is a brief description of the festival. Durga Puja is celebrated on a mass scale with puja pandals (marquees) built on the street of Shakhari Bazaar. Preparations for the Puja begin long before the actual day arrives. The craftsmen and artisans do brisk business at this time of the year.



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Touring Old Dhaka? Talk to the Urban Study Group

April 14, 2008 2:54 pm

Sadarghat motionHomaira and Taimur of Dhaka’s Urban Study Group have started offering guided explorations of Old Dhaka, on both the weekends and weekdays, in an effort to see some of the older buildings preserved and restored. Here’s a quote from their recent mailings regarding the preservation work they’re attempting to do:

While our documentation of the other mohallahs of Ward 72 are going on, we have started documenting the Sutrapur and Farashganj area also . At present we are trying to start actual restoration work on few small-scale projects in Shakhari Bazaar and Tati Bazaar which we hope will have a snowball effect; we’ll soon send out detailed information on the projects.

Today’s update is about another heritage building at risk. A grand mansion is being demolished in Farashganj for redevelopment by the owners. USG has already documented the building and trying to negotiate with the owners with conservation proposal with the half that is still standing and is also trying to persuade the goverment officials regarding the possible modification of the current building construction rules to facilitate conservation while protecting the economic interest of the owners/developers.

Want to find out more information? Send an e-mail to friendsofsb [AT] gmail.com.