Dhaka Bangladesh

The history of urban settlement in the area of modern-day Dhaka dates to the 1st century. The region was part of the ancient district of Bikrampur, which was ruled by the Buddhist Pala Empire and the Hindu Sena dynasty. Under Islamic rule, it became part of the historic district of Sonargaon, the regional administrative hub of the Delhi and the Bengal Sultanates. 

The Grand Trunk Road passed through the region, connecting it with North India, Central Asia and the southeastern port city of Chittagong. The historic quarter of Dhaka stands on the east bank of the Buriganga River. It is located in the central part of the Bengal delta. Bengali Muslims make up the majority of the population, followed by Bengali Hindu, Buddhist, Bengali Christian and Bahai Faith communities. The city hosted two major caravansaries of the subcontinent: the Bara Katra and Choto Katra, located on the riverfront of the Buriganga. The Mughals decorated the city with well-laid out gardens, tombs, mosques, palaces and forts. Dhaka became known as the City of Mosques in Bengal. It was also described as the Venice of the East. The old city was home to various Eurasian merchant groups. At the height of its medieval glory, Dhaka was regarded as one of the wealthiest and most prosperous cities in the world. It was central to the economy of Mughal Bengal, which generated 50% of Mughal GDP.
The Mughal Empire conquered the region during the late 16th-century. Under Mughal rule, the Old City of Dhaka grew on the banks of the Buriganga River. Dhaka was proclaimed the capital of Mughal Bengal in 1608. Islam Khan Chishti was the first administrator of the city. Khan christened it as "Jahangir Nagar" (City of Jahangir) in honour of the Emperor Jahangir. The name was dropped soon after the emperor's death. The main expansion of the city took place under Mughal governor Shaista Khan. The city then measured 19 by 13 kilometres (12 by 8 mi), with a population of nearly one million. Dhaka was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in the Indian subcontinent. It grew into a regional economic centre during the 17th and 18th centuries, serving as a hub for Eurasian traders, including Bengalis, Marwaris, Gujaratis, Armenians, Arabs, Persians, Greeks, Dutchmen, Frenchmen, Englishmen and the Portuguese. The city was a centre of the worldwide muslin industry, with 80,000 skilled weavers. Mughal Bengal generated 50% of the Mughal Empire's GDP, which at the time constituted 25% of world GDP. Dhaka was the commercial capital of the empire. The city had well-laid out gardens, monuments, mosques, temples, bazaars, churches and caravansaries. The Bara Katra was the largest caravansary. The riverbanks were dotted with numerous stately mansions. Dhaka suffered stagnation and decline during the early 19th-century. Its muslin industry was destroyed by high colonial taxation, restriction of trade and forced imports of British manufactured textiles. The city's weavers starved to death during Bengal famines. The rise of the colonial capital Calcutta caused a sharp decline in the city's population. Dhaka became heavily impoverished. In 1824, an Anglican bishop described Dhaka as a city of magnificent ruins.

During the mutiny of 1857, the city witnessed revolts by the Bengal Army^. The British Raj was established following the mutiny. It bestowed privileges on the Dhaka Nawab Family, which dominated the city's political and social elite. The Dhaka Cantonment was established as a base for the British Indian Army. The British developed the modern city around Ramna, Shahbag Garden and Bahadur Shah Park. A modern civic water system was introduced in 1874. The electricity supply began in 1901. The post-independence period witnessed rapid growth as Dhaka attracted migrant workers from across rural Bangladesh. In August 1975, Sheikh Mujib was assassinated in a military coup. There were further coups in November 1975 and March 1985. In the 1980s, Bangladesh pioneered the formation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and hosted its first summit in Dhaka. A mass uprising in 1990 led to the restoration of parliamentary democracy. In the 1990s and 2000s, Dhaka saw improved economic growth and the emergence of affluent business districts and satellite towns.

Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhaka