Dhaka Club
Encyclopedia
Dhaka Club is the oldest recreation organisation and the largest of elite
clubs in Dhaka
, Bangladesh
. It was registered on 19 August 1911 in the model of the Bengal Club of Calcutta. It was granted legal status on 14 September 1911 under the Indian Companies Act of 1882. The club is located near Shahbag Intersection
. It is surrounded by Dhaka University, Bangladesh National Museum
, Hotel Sheraton, BIRDEM
Hospital, Ramna Park
and the Suhrawardy Udyan
.
The land of Dhaka Club was leased out from the Dhaka Nawab Family
. In 1941, the Governor of Bengal leased out a tract of land comprising 524 bighas (173 acres) to the Dhaka Club, which was used to develop a racecourse (known as Ramna Racecourse, now converted into Ramna Park), a golf course, the club buildings and playgrounds. As of 2007, the club has only about 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land in its control, since the rest has been overtaken by the government of Bangladesh by acquisition. Apaprt from the wood-paneled club house, which is one of the few surviving British Raj
era buildings in Dhaka, the club also houses a guest house, hall rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, a swimming pool, gymnasium, and facilities for playing table tennis, billiards, cards, squash, and lawn tennis.
In 1851, the European civil servants established the Dhaka Club on the northern corner of the racecourse as a club for British and other European people living in Dhaka.The inspiration of the club came from a Billiard club for Armenians located on the Antaghar Moidan (now known as Bahadur Shah Park
) in Old Dhaka, which was purchased by the British as real estate.
The club was registered officially in 1911. The founding members were Lt. Col. E A Hall (Civil Surgeon, Dhaka), C R Bryan, H G Bally (Commandant, Military Police Battalion, Dhaka), J O Rennie (PWD, Dhaka), and J S Wilson and A T Halliday of Indian Police, Dhaka.
Soon after its establishment, it became a club of both local and foreign elite, though British dominance continued down to 1947. The land of the club was leased out from the dhaka nawab estate. The membership of the club grew quickly in the 1920s and '30s when many Europeans came to Dhaka in connection with the jute trade, steam navigation, the railway, and estate management.
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
clubs in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. It was registered on 19 August 1911 in the model of the Bengal Club of Calcutta. It was granted legal status on 14 September 1911 under the Indian Companies Act of 1882. The club is located near Shahbag Intersection
Shahbag
Shahbag is a major neighbourhood and a police precinct or Thana in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It is also a major public transport hub, and serves as a junction between two contrasting sections of the city—Old Dhaka and New Dhaka—which lie, respectively, to its north and south...
. It is surrounded by Dhaka University, Bangladesh National Museum
Bangladesh National Museum
The Bangladesh National Museum , originally established on 20 March 1913, albeit under another name, and formally inaugurated on 7 August 1913, was accorded the status of the national museum of Bangladesh on 17 November 1983. It is located Shahbag, Dhaka...
, Hotel Sheraton, BIRDEM
BIRDEM
BIRDEM, the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders at Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh is a 600-bed multidisciplinary hospital complex of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh....
Hospital, Ramna Park
Ramna Park
Ramna Park is a large park and recreation area situated at the heart of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh...
and the Suhrawardy Udyan
Suhrawardy Udyan
Suhrawardy Udyan formerly known as Ramna Racecourse ground is a national memorial located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Once known as ‘‘Bagh-e-Badshahi’’ during the Mughal rule, it is named after Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. Originally it served as the military club of the British soldiers stationed in Dhaka...
.
The land of Dhaka Club was leased out from the Dhaka Nawab Family
Dhaka Nawab family
Dhaka Nawab Family reigned in Dhaka from mid 19th century to mid 20th century, after the fall of the Naib Nazims. The hereditary title of Nawab, similar to the British peerage, was conferred upon the head of the Family by the British Raj as a recognition of their loyalty in the time of the Sepoy...
. In 1941, the Governor of Bengal leased out a tract of land comprising 524 bighas (173 acres) to the Dhaka Club, which was used to develop a racecourse (known as Ramna Racecourse, now converted into Ramna Park), a golf course, the club buildings and playgrounds. As of 2007, the club has only about 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land in its control, since the rest has been overtaken by the government of Bangladesh by acquisition. Apaprt from the wood-paneled club house, which is one of the few surviving British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
era buildings in Dhaka, the club also houses a guest house, hall rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, a swimming pool, gymnasium, and facilities for playing table tennis, billiards, cards, squash, and lawn tennis.
History
Bahadur Shah Park
Bahadur Shah Park, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is a striking war memorial set amidst the splendor of nature. It was built in 1858 at the initiative of Nawab Khwaja Abdul Ghani, in the Sadarghat area. It was called Victoria Park until 1947...
) in Old Dhaka, which was purchased by the British as real estate.
The club was registered officially in 1911. The founding members were Lt. Col. E A Hall (Civil Surgeon, Dhaka), C R Bryan, H G Bally (Commandant, Military Police Battalion, Dhaka), J O Rennie (PWD, Dhaka), and J S Wilson and A T Halliday of Indian Police, Dhaka.
Soon after its establishment, it became a club of both local and foreign elite, though British dominance continued down to 1947. The land of the club was leased out from the dhaka nawab estate. The membership of the club grew quickly in the 1920s and '30s when many Europeans came to Dhaka in connection with the jute trade, steam navigation, the railway, and estate management.