Sonargaon - the ancient village of Bengal

 Sonargaon - the ancient village of Bengal

 Sonargaon is located about two and a half kilometers north of Mograpara crossing on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway under Narayanganj district. Sonargaon, the ancient capital of Bengal, is surrounded by the aesthetic and scenic environment of green forests and unique architecture. The capital of the Hindu period is believed to have been located here in the late 13th century. It later became the provincial center of the Muslim rulers of East Bengal.

Some believe that the name Sonargaon is derived from the ancient Suvarnagram. Another theory is that Sonargaon was named after Sona Bibi, wife of Baro Bhuiyan chief Isha Khan. Among the ancient towns of Bangladesh, Sonargaon is a glorious town in terms of art, culture and literature. Around 1281 AD, Muslim rule began in the region. It was the capital of Muslim sultans during the Middle Ages. Sonargaon was the capital of East Bengal until 1610 AD when it was declared as the capital of Bengal under the Dhaka Sub-Bengal during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb of Delhi. Sonargaon was the capital of East Bengal during the rule of Isha Khan and his descendants. Another name of Sonargaon was Panam. The buildings constructed in Panam Nagar are made of small red bricks. The buildings are sometimes separated from each other, and sometimes adjacent. Most of the buildings are rectangular and spread north-south. Panamnagar was built with spectacular building architecture on both sides of a long road. A total of 52 old houses on both sides are the main attraction of this small town.Panam City's Thakurbari Bhavan and Isha Khan's Arch together occupy a total of about sixteen hectares of Folk Art and Crafts Foundation. It has 1 museum, 1 folk theatre, seminar hall and craft village. About 4500 artifacts are preserved in the museum here.

Open for visitors every Friday to Wednesday from 10 am to 5 pm. However, the museum is closed on Fridays from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM for Friday prayers.

How to reach:

By Bus:

1.        Sonargaon Express

            Departing from Gulistan

2.        Borak Paribohon

            Departing from Gulistan

Where to stay:

1.         District Parishod Banglo

            Sonargaon Upazila Parishad Complex

2.        Gono Biddyalay

            Ichapara,Sonargaon

            Cell: 01712002304

3.        Folk & Arts Foundation

            Ichapara, Sonargaon

            Cell: 027656331