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A photo of Sonargaon by Nasir Khan Saikat –

Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Sonargaon

Sonargaon is a historic city in central Bangladesh. It corresponds to the Sonargaon Upazila of Narayanganj District in Dhaka Division. Sonargaon is one of the old capitals of the historic region of Bengal. It was an administrative center of eastern Bengal.

Sonargaon was also a river port. Its hinterland was the center of the muslin trade in Bengal. It had a large population of weavers and artisans. According to ancient Greek and Roman accounts, an emporium was located in this hinterland.

Archaeologists have identified the emporium with the Wari-Bateshwar ruins. The area was a base for the Vanga, Samatata, Sena, and Deva dynasties. In the article are the top ten unbelievable facts about Sonargaon.

1. Sonargaon gained importance during the Delhi Sultanate

The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of South Asia for 320 years from 1206–1526. It covered large swaths of territory in modern-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh as well as some parts of southern Nepal.

It was the capital of the sultanate ruled by Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah and his son Ikhtiyaruddin Ghazi Shah. It hosted a royal court and mint of the Bengal Sultanate. Sonargaon was also the Bengal Sultanate’s capital under the reign of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah.

2. Sonargaon became one of the most important townships in Bengal

The Sultans built mosques and tombs, and many immigrants moved to the area. Later, the Baro-Bhuyan confederacy’s seat resisted Mughal expansion under the leadership of Isa Khan and his son Musa Khan.

Sonargaon then became a district of Mughal Bengal. During British colonial rule, merchants built many Indo-Saracenic townhouses in the Panam neighborhood. Its importance was eventually overshadowed by the nearby Port of Narayanganj which was set up in 1862.

3. Sonargaon hosts Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation

A photo of Arts Museum by Salim Khandoker –

Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation is a government foundation. The foundation was established in July 1975. It is located in Sonargaon, Narayanganj, Bangladesh. It holds a fair every Bengali New Year where Sonargaon is the host.

Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation is responsible for the preservation of; arranging training programs on arts and crafts, and the setting up of a folk art museum in Bangladesh.

4. Sonargaon began to develop as an education centre

A photo of Sonargaon by Nasir Khan Saikat –

When Firoz Shah died in 1322, his son, Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah replaced him as ruler. In 1324, the Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq declared war against him and succeeded in capturing Bahadur Shah in battle.

During the same year, Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq released him and appointed him as the governor of Sonargaon. It was under the rule of Firoz Shah as a governor, that Sonargaon began to develop as a seat of Muslim learning and Persian literature.

Maulana Sharfuddin Abu Tawwama of Bukhara came to Sonargaon circa 1270. He established a Sufi khanqah and madrasa, which imparted both religious and secular education. The institutions became reputed throughout the Indian subcontinent. Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri, a celebrated Sufi scholar of Bihar, was an alumnus of Sonargaon.

5. Sonargaon conquered areas of Arakan and Tripura

A photo of Sonargaon by Nasir Khan Saikat –

The army of Sonargaon conquered Chittagong in southeastern Bengal in 1340. In the west, Sonargaon competed with the neighboring city-states of Lakhnauti and Satgaon for military supremacy in Bengal.

Sonargaon prevailed in naval campaigns during the monsoon. Lakhnauti prevailed in land campaigns during the dry season. The areas conquered were held by the eastern kingdoms of Arakan and Tripura.

6. Sonargaon was a strategically important river port

A photo of a water body in Sonargaon by Afifa Afrin –

Sonargaon became one of the major townships in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. Its proximity to the Brahmaputra Valley and the Bay of Bengal made it an important river port.

7. Sonargaon was part of the defenses for the provincial capital Dhaka

Under the Mughal rule in the 17th and 18th centuries, the provincial Dhaka was under threat by Arakanese and Portuguese pirates. Sonargaon was made one of the districts of Mughal Bengal.

The Mughals built several riverside fortifications near Sonargaon. This was a defense mechanism against Arakanese and Portuguese pirates. Panam Bridge, Dalalpur Bridge, and Panamnagar Bridge which are still in use were built by the Mughals.

8. Sonargaon is one of the  Most Endangered Sites

A photo of an old building in Panam City, Sonargaon by Ferdous –

Sonargaon has been exposed to many threats. Some of the threats to preservation include flooding and vandalism. World Monuments Fund, therefore, placed Sonargon on the 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites.

World Monuments Fund is a private, international, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training.

9. Sonargaon produced muslin and manufactured textile

A photo of a woman’s Muslin Dress by Unknown author-

Sonargaon was famous for a cotton-based cloth called Khasa for its finest quality. People in Sonargaon produced muslin and textiles in large quantities. The fertile farmland around the town also generated rice exports. Weavers formed a large part of the population.

10. Sonargaon became the eastern terminus of the Grand Trunk Road

A photo of Old Trunk Road by MShaAwan –

Sonargaon was the principal administrative center of eastern Bengal, Bhati region. High officials of the Bengal Sultanate were based in Sonargaon. It hosted a mint.

The Grand Trunk Road was then built by Sher Shah Suri in the 16th century. Therefore, due to the building of the Grand Trunk Road, Sonargaon became the eastern terminus of the road.

Sonargaon has archaeological sites, Sufi shrines, Hindu temples, and historic mosques and tombs. You can see different elements of ancient and medieval daily life in the museum: utensils, agricultural instruments, and pottery. It draws many tourists each year in Bangladesh. So, what are you waiting for?