Railway Station is the central railway station in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the largest railway station of the country, however the most important terminal for communication between Dhaka and whole Bangladesh. It is also one of the most modern and striking buildings in Dhaka. Kamalapur railway station situated in the north-east side of Motijheel.
History
editThere was only one railway station in Fulbaria,Dhaka.After the partition of Bengal,Dhaka became one of the important cities.But when the station need to extended then it was planned to transfer to to somewhere else and then kamalapur was selected for extention.Once upon a time it used to be a peddy field.At the starting of the 60’s this station was built.At that time it was one of the important establishment in the east Pakistan.It was mesmarizing to people at that time as there wasnot so many beautiful stractures in Dhaka.At that time consulting engineers Pakistan ltd established an architectural firm in Dhaka in 1960 named berger engineers in collaboratiob with the American firm Luis berger inc several architects working for them and teaching at East Pakistan University of Engineering and technogoly designed many institutional buildings up to 1967.An inconsisteng can be tranced in their work as of them had little knowledge and of them had little knowledge and experience of the local context, and often different architects were designing different architect building in the servre campus.Nethertheless,their works were comparatively national and neat.Among the berger architects,Robert Bouighy maintained a consistency in archites=ctural vocabulary,technical excelencs and aesthetics in his creatives,concreate frame structures and its honest expression through ribbon window,non loads bearing partition walls and catilevered verand as are some examples that charactarised bouigh’s design.An inter-marriage of spatial and structural innovation culminated in his outstanding designs of the Kamalapur railway station which is remarkable for the open petal shaped canopy unifying a number of otherwise disjointed buildings an innovative expression through architectural forms.
Architectural Value
editKamalapur railway station was built by Robet bouighy and it reflects his own way of style. It is an architectural marvel with lotus shaped shell structure covering the functional buildings like an umbrella and thus unifying all various spaces beneath it, was designed by Bob Bouigh.Bouigh was among the five American professors of architecture who used to teach at BUET when it opened the program in 1962.There are like 21 ticket counters and we can buy all local tickets from 20 ticket counters and we can even buy tickets to go to india and its ticket counter is different.There are 2 waiting rooms and one for first class and another for second class passengers.There are 8 platforms and we can find 2 restuarants infront of the ticket counters and there are also some fastfood shops near the ticket counters. It was only a meter gauge car serving station even one year back but now (from 2008) both meter gauge & broad gauge trains can operate from here.
Present Condition
editWhen it was built it was maintained very carefully but slowly tume passed and it lost its preiviuos condition.Evryday its like almost 50 trains allots from here to different cities in Bangladesh.There are 47 local trains,28 express trains and 24 inter city trains.To help the general people there are lots of security gaurds are engaged and there are station masters and station manager .Everyday there are thousands of people who come across the station and travels through out the country.Usually we can use this trains to go to any part of the country except borisal,potuakhali.The plotforms always remain populated whether it is night or day.We will find people all the time and they all are so in roush and hurry.We will come across so many pickpocketers,beggers and hijackers.In the night it is so difficult to move from here and there as there is a risk of our life.Though lots of guards,police and rabs are seen outside the station to control the situation but still there are some risks. In front of Kamalapur railway station, there is Pir Jongi’s Majar (a famous shrine). Kamalapur station looks very crowded during the time of train. Taxi, auto rickshaw, rickshaw, private car and many more vehicle are gathered in front of station.Centering on the Kamalapur Railway station, a huge floating market establish in this area. However there is small tea stall and small shops where the product which is necessary during journey are available. This open air markets generally available booklets, bread, mineral water, dry food, juice, t-shirt, napkins, cigarettes, etc.As there reality the station is the sleeping place for the homeless people. It is true there is floating prostitution with high risk of AIDS. However the station is playing important role in commerce of Motijheel area.
Bibliography
edit• Prothom Alo 27.1.07 • Banglapedia ,Bangladesh Jatiyo Gyankosh,Khondo 1;by Sirajul Islam & Shajahan Mia;Bangladesh Asiatic Society • http://www.banglapedia.org/httpdocs/HT/M_0290.HTM