The rich history of Tantibazar
There was a time when Tantibazar was one of the posh areas of the city. It was dotted with beautiful buildings. The area lost that grandeur because of the migration of the rich inhabitants, mainly renowned Hindu businessmen, to India after the partition in 1947, said historians.
Dr Sharif uddin Ahmed, professor, Department of History, Dhaka University, said that Tantibazar was one of the important points of Dhaka where famous muslin (finest cotton) was woven by expert weavers.
“In the early 17th century (1608-1610) around 50,000 army personnel and civilians migrated to Dhaka with Mughal Subadar Islam Khan Chishti. At that time privileges like tax rebate were given to people of different professions from Mughal Subadar to settle down in the new capital Dhaka.
“A place was selected for weavers too. They produced famous muslin and finest cotton, which was craved by the elites and the ruling class. Often customers came to the weavers' house to take the cloths they wanted and gradually the place wore the look of a bustling market. Therefore the name Tantibazar evolved,” said Dr Sharifuddin.
“It was a very rich and thriving area,” he added.
Conservation Architect Taimur Islam said that in 1850 an urban revival or redevelopment took place in Dhaka. At that time the Muslin became extinct and cotton trade started to thrive. Cotton fabric was exported to European countries.
Tantibazar, Nawabpur and Islampur were the hubs of the cotton trade.
“The boshaks or cotton traders emerged as the new elite class of the city and shaped an urban revival. As one of the centres of urban revival, Tantibazar has a significant place in the history of Dhaka,” he said.
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