Of old Dhaka and new Dhaka

In the decades of the 1950s-1960s, the vast mango and jackfruit tree- covered, bushy tracts on the south of Dhaka were a common spectacle. The vast area, now Gulshan, was filled with small and large water bodies. The largest of it still exists under the name of Gulshan Lake. Fringes of the area were featured by sprinkles of villages. The lush-green idyllic area came to be known eventually as a shooting spot for Dhaka cinemas. Back then few could imagine the present busy urban look of Gulshan-Banani area. Except small isolated patches, there are now hardly any wild green corners in Gulshan. The whole area is covered with residential and commercial concrete structures, mostly high-rises, and road networks chockablock with traffic. Traffic gridlock is a regular feature.

Similar to Gulshan, the sprawling Kamalapur area has undergone radical changes. In place of spacious and knee to waste-deep water bodies, and marshes, especially during monsoon, the whole expanse is now considered one of the busiest and most densely populated areas in the capital. This part of Dhaka comprises one of the largest commercial districts of the city --- Motijheel, and also Dilkusha. Khilgaon and Basabo also included these low-lying areas. The whole Mirpur and the adjoining areas, Rayerbazar, parts of Dhanmondi were considered Dhaka's peripheral areas. Dhaka's south, across the Nawabpur Rail Crossing, would comprise the main city and the populated residential pockets. The former busy Dhaka is now the Old City. The irony is despite the New Dhaka's emergence from the tree and bush-laden greeneries and water bodies; the vast area has long been accustomed to a stifling atmosphere.

Compared to the planned city in Dhaka's new part, the spontaneously built Old City can now take more pride in century-old small playgrounds, open spaces and roadside parks. The New Dhaka has few ponds. The older part of Dhaka still has a few well kept and supervised ponds. Hundred years ago, Dhaka, later the city's newer part, was famous for its historical ponds and playgrounds. At this point, one can cite the Shahbagh pond, and the Ansar playground --- located in the same area. A number of myths were associated with the Shahbagh pond in the olden days. Many of the people using the large pond for bathing used to believe in the superstitious tales related to the pond. However, the pond, serving a large number of people living in the greater eastern Dhanmondi, remains etched in the minds of the people. So do many others in the different parts of the then Dhaka. They include both private and community ponds.

Prior to the Bangladesh's independence, few had the sketchiest idea about the changes awaiting the post-1971 Dhaka. But remarkable changes in its character had been in the offing. By the late seventies, the previous Old Dhaka found it had little scopes for adopting further changes or innovations. The 400-year-old riverside Mughal city had by then turned into an architecturally exhausted urban centre. That part of the city had little to add to Dhaka's spatial glory. It found itself in a fix. In addition to it, with the outsiders coming to the newer part of the city in droves, the Old Dhaka had no way out except showing signs of aging. All focuses during the whole 1980s onwards remained directed at the capital Dhaka. It led to many Old Dhaka people to build vertically and remain settled in their age-old ancestral place.The newer part of the capital is blamed for all types of urban blights. It has become the norm lately. But it's also true it is the population density, chaos in traffic movement, lack of basic amenities etc which leads the Old Dhaka people to shift to New Dhaka.

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