Dhaka City Exhibition in the UK - four hundred years of the founding of Dhaka as a capital city

Originally the exhibition was developed to celebrate in 2005 the 100 years anniversary of the city regaining its capital status in 1905.  The Exhibition provides highlights of the city's history and present day dynamism, through photographs and written texts.    

Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh, situated centrally within the country. It first became a capital city in 1610 when Islam Khan Chisti, the Moghul Subahdar (viceroy), established Dhaka as the provincial capital of Subah-e-Bangla - which included Bengal, Behar and Orissa. Since then the city has been a major centre for culture, creativity, education, industry and trade.

Since 2008 Bangladesh has been organising a three years long celebration to mark the 400 years (in 2010) of the establishment of Dhaka as a capital city. The exhibition shows during 2010 will be a contribution to that celebration and as such it will be adopted for that purpose. I hope to engage the local and London wide diverse communities with the 2010 exhibition shows to achieve a better understanding of Bangladesh in the UK.

Since the launch of the Exhibition in May 2005, it has toured Mile End Arts Pavillion, Stephen's Lawrence Gallery in Greenwich University, Stratford Central Library, Luton Central Library, Camden Bangladesh Mela, Camden Youth Conexion, Swiss Cottage Gallery, Morpeth School, Mulberry School, Forest Gate School, Brady Centre, City Hall and Whitechapel Idea Store.  In additon to thousands of people who visited the exhibition a total of 40 school visits took place at the Mile End Arts Pavillion and Stratford's Central Library where I provided guided tour and ran a quiz.