Motijheel (Bengali: মতিঝিল) is a central business district and a thana of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is Dhaka's primary central business district,[5] and also the nation's largest commercial and financial hub.[6] Motijheel, located immediately adjacent to Dhaka's zero point, has the largest number of offices in Dhaka.[7] Motijheel CBD also has one of the highest concentrations of high-rise buildings in Bangladesh. It has thus earned the title of the downtown and city centre of Dhaka and as the bankpara-officepara (neighbourhood of banks and offices) in Bengali.
Motijheel Thana
মতিঝিল থানা | |
|---|---|
 From top: Skyline of Motijheel, Bangabhaban, RAJUK, Janata Bank Tower, Bangladesh Bank Building, City Centre Dhaka, Jiban Bima Tower and Bangladesh Development Bank, Bangabandhu National Stadium, Shapla Square, Notre Dame College, Balaka Square, Motijheel metro station | |
 Expandable map of vicinity of Motijheel Thana | |
  Motijheel Thana Location of Motijheel Thana within Dhaka  Motijheel Thana Location of Motijheel Thana within Dhaka Division  Motijheel Thana Location of Motijheel Thana within Bangladesh | |
| Coordinates: 23°43′37″N 90°25′18″E / 23.72681°N 90.42163°E | |
| Country |  Bangladesh |
| Division | Dhaka Division |
| District | Dhaka District |
| Established as a thana | 1976 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.69 km2 (1.42 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 23 m (75 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 83,557 |
| • Density | 56,912/km2 (147,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+6 (BST) |
| Postal code | 1000[3] |
| Area code | 02[4] |
It is home to the Bangabhaban presidential palace, the venerable Notre Dame College; and the Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of the country.
Companies based in Motijheel include Dutch Bangla Bank, Eastern Bank PLC, Mercantile Bank, IFIC Bank, Beacon Pharmaceuticals, Orion Group, Janata Bank, Sonali Bank, Rupali Bank, Agrani Bank, Pubali Bank, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation and Jiban Bima Corporation among others.[8][9][10] The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also based in Motijheel. With a large concentration of businesses, as well as government offices, departments and ministries, Motijheel is a major central business district and an office hub.[11]
The area is served by the Dhaka Metro Rail. Shapla Square and Balaka Square are well known roundabouts in Motijheel.
Etymology
editThe name Motijheel is a combination of two Bengali words, moti (Bengali: মতি), which means pearl; and jheel (Bengali: ঝিল), meaning lake. Hence, the name Motijheel literally means "Lake of Pearls".
There are two theories regarding the origin of its name. One suggests that during Mughal rule, a pond existed within the estate of Mughal official Mirza Mohammad Mukim, whose daughter is said to have thrown jewellery into the water, leading the area to be named Motijheel. Another theory attributes the name to a canal that once flowed nearby, influencing the area's name.[12]
History
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During the Bengal Sultanate, a Sufi preacher named Shah Jalal Dakhini lived in the area. His tomb is located within the Bangabhaban premises.[5] Under Mughal rule, the area was known as the abode of Mirza Muhammad Mukim. The area was historically known as Dilkusha. It was the site of the Dilkusha Gardens, a property of the nawab of Dhaka. Armenians also lived in the area.[5] The area became home to an official residence of the governor of Bengal and the viceroy of India. It later became the seat of the Governor of East Pakistan. The president of Bangladesh resides at the Bangabhaban in Motijheel. The presidential palace is surrounded by the Bangabhaban Gardens (formerly the Nawab's Dilkusha Gardens).
After the partition of India,[5] Motijheel became the CBD of Dhaka during the 1950s and 1960s. The city's Notre Dame College was relocated to its present campus in Motijheel in 1954; and includes many prestigious alumni. The clocktower of the Dhaka Improvement Trust building was the tallest structure in East Pakistan. The Purbani Hotel opened in the 1960s. In the 1980s and early 1990s, several tall buildings were built in Motijheel. They are mainly the headquarters of Bangladeshi state-owned banks. For many years, the Bangladesh Bank Building located in Motijheel was the tallest building in Bangladesh. City Centre Dhaka of Motijheel is the current tallest building in Bangladesh and has been since 2012. In recent years, the emergence of a plethora of new CBDs in other parts of Dhaka has led to a neglect of Motijheel.
Geography
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Motijheel forms part of downtown Dhaka. It is situated between Old Dhaka to its south and Ramna, Paltan and Segunbagicha to its north. Motijheel lies directly adjacent to Paltan and Segunbagicha. The Ramna area was the colonial part of Dhaka which developed in the early 20th century. Motijheel, which was once the property of the nawab of Dhaka, was a garden situated between Ramna and Old Dhaka. Motijheel Thana covers an area of 3.69 square kilometres (1.42 sq mi). It is bounded by thana of Rampura to the north, Khilgaon Thana to the north and east, Sutrapur Thana to the south, Sabujbagh Thana to the east, Ramna Model Thana to the northwest, and Paltan to the west.[11]
Demographics
editAccording to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Motijheel Thana has a population of 210,006 with an average household size of 4.5 members and an average literacy rate of 80.4% against the national average of 51.8% literacy.[13]
Economy
editThe following companies have their head offices in Motijheel.
State owned companies
edit- Janata Bank
- Sonali Bank
- Agrani Bank
- Pubali Bank
- Rupali Bank
- Bangladesh Development Bank
- Bangladesh Krishi Bank
- Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation
- Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation
- Army Welfare Trust
- Jiban Bima Corporation
- Sadharan Bima Corporation
Private sector companies
editEducation
editNotre Dame College, Dhaka and Notre Dame University Bangladesh are located in Motijheel Thana. The main branch of Ideal School & College and Motijheel Model School & College are also located in Motijheel. T & T High School and the Ideal Government Primary School are also in Motijheel. Other schools and colleges in the thana include Bangladesh Bank High School, Post Office High School, Motijheel Government Girls' High School, Motijheel Government Boys' High School, Shantibagh High School, Shahjahanpur Railway School, Miraj Abbas Degree College, and Abujar Ghifari College.[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Geographic coordinates of Dhaka, Bangladesh". DATEANDTIME.INFO. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
- ^ National Report (PDF). Population and Housing Census 2022. Vol. 1. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 386. ISBN 978-9844752016.
- ^ "Bangladesh Postal Code". Dhaka: Bangladesh Postal Department under the Department of Posts and Telecommunications of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Bangladesh Area Code". China: Chahaoba.com. 18 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Motijheel, Dhaka". Banglapedia. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ "Top Notch Commercial Hubs In Dhaka". Anwar Landmark. 15 February 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ "At a Glance: Busiest Commercial Areas in Dhaka". UNB. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ "Dutch-Bangla Bank". Dutch-Bangla Bank. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ "Main Branch". Mercantile Bank.
- ^ "IFIC Bank PLC". IFIC Bank. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "Motijheel Thana". Banglapedia. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ Haider, M. H. (13 October 2024). "How did Motijheel get its name?". The Daily Star. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (2011). "Population & Housing Census" (PDF). Bangladesh Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ "Contact Us". MetLife Bangladesh (in Bengali). Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "Contact Us". Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dhaka (MCCI). Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "DCCI :: Contact us". www.dhakachamber.com. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "FBCCI". fbcci.org. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
External links
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Central Dhaka travel guide from Wikivoyage
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