Panam, a ruined city of Sonargaon

Panam City is one of the 100 Destroyed Historic Cities in the World. World Monument Fund enlisted Panam Nagar in the list of 100 world-renowned historic installations in 2006. It was the capital of Bengal during the reign of Isha Khan. The big cities (Boro Nagar), the city of Khas (Khas Nagar), Panam Nagar - Panam among the three cities of the old Sonargaon were the most interesting. There are several hundred old buildings, which are related to the history of Bengal's Baro Bhuyan.

About 450 years ago, Baro Bhuyan leader Isha Khan established the first capital of Bengal in the 15th century, in Sonargaon. This city was developed around 20 square kilometers of Sonargaon.

Location: Panam Nagar or Panam City is the nearest city of Sonargaon Police Station, about 2.5 kilometers north of Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Mograpara point of Narayanganj district on the outskirts of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka. Distance from Dhaka to Panam is 27 km, which is half km north of the Sonargaon People and Crafts Foundation Museum. Currently Panam city Sonargaon is one of the renowned picnic spots near Dhaka.

Historical Panam Nagar: In the 15th century, Isha Khan established the first capital of Bengal in Sonagaon. During that time, the industry and culture of Bengal flourished in the Sultanate era. That time in the east Meghna and the west Shitalakshya River used to import clothes from the different country and import Muslin from here.

About that time, the city was established in the new colonial architecture of European inspiration due to the commercial activities of the East India Company and the permanent settlement. The Englishmen opened the blue business center here. Besides, the market of muslin occupied blue trade.

Panam Infrastructure: In the city of Panam, the old buildings with a narrow road in the middle will be seen.The architectural design of the houses indicates that the people of the wealthy merchants lived there. Mughal and Greek architectural style can be viewed in the houses, and the decorations of each room are unique. Evidence of new innovative strategy is found here regarding craftsmanship, color use, and construction techniques.

Wrought iron made brackets used almost every house. Metal grill used in the windows and ventilator used for ventilation in the home. The most notable thing is that correctly used cast iron, and many matches of this work are seen with the cast iron used in Europe.

Niharika House in Panam City

Also on the floor are red, white, black mosaic crafts. In addition to the residential buildings inside the city, there are mosques, temples, churches, monasteries, bathrooms, art galleries, treasury rooms, courtrooms, secret roads, judiciary, and old museums.

There is also a 400-year old mint house. Of the homes remaining in the city of Panam, 52 homes are notable. There are 31 houses on the north side of the Panam road and 21 homes on the south shore. Almost every house is divided into two parts. One outside and another is open in front of the indoor bowl and front of the house. Each house is located at a particular distance from each other. In the middle of the city, a narrow road ran through the city. The city has been built mainly on both sides of this street.

You will be lost in the past in Panam City. These buildings are standing in the calm, quiet village, witnessing a period. Due to lack of reform, the buildings have become disastrous. The windows of the building were closed with brick masonry. Nilkuthi, built by the East India Company, is very close to Dulalpur road near Panam Pool. Panam's Neelkuthi is a witness to the ruthless history of indigo cultivation.

There was a well in every house for safe drinking water. The City was built as a perfect plan. There was no problem of drinking water in the entire city, so the two canals were cut in five ponds and on both sides of the city. Steps were taken to drain water for the city to avoid waterlogging.

There is also a mosque built during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Hussain Shah. The name of the mosque is Goaldi Hossain Shahi Mosque. The mosque is located on the west side of Sonargaon Folk Art Museum. There are some other buildings on the south shore of Mograpara, such as the shrine of Baro Awalia, Hazrat Shah Ibrahim Danish Manda and the shrine of his descendants, Dumdum Fort, etc.

There are numerous historical monuments in Panam city. There is also the entertainment building of Isha Khan's son Musa Khan, as well as various shrines including Fateh Shah's shrine, Sonakanda Fort, Panchapir's shrine, and numerous archaeological remains.

Some significant story of Panam: Many people were fascinated by the beauty of the city. Then there was the famous poet of Persian poet Hafeez. The poet was invited by the Sultan of Bengal Giyasuddin Azam Shah. Poet Hafeez could not come here, but he sent a ghazal written in the form of gifts. Later a Frenchman came to Sonargaon. He was fascinated by the city of Panam.

Since 1971, after the independence of Bangladesh, Panam city houses were leased. But houses of neglect and negligence continue to be wasted. So leasing has been stopped since 2004. Due to lack of conservation, two houses collapsed in 2005. Later, the government of Bangladesh took various steps to protect the City.

Here many amateur photographers came for the content of their photos. Apart from this, some parts of the film 'Guerrilla' directed by Nasir Uddin Yusuf have been shot. Panam Nagar has been chosen to capture some scenes before the War of Liberation. The film was released in 2011 and gets a lot of popularity. In 2010, a Doku-drama called 'Subarnagram' was created in the history and tradition of the city.

Sonargaon Museum

Other attraction: Panam Nagar and Folk Art Museum in Sonargaon are close to each other. So you can also visit the museum. At the entrance of the foundation, there is a sculpture. A man is pushing the carriage of cattle. The museum entrance is decorated with beautiful craftsmanship and design. There is a huge tank in the museum building. Three-edged ghat on one side of the two gorges on the edge of the two-horse rider.

There are 11 galleries in the Foundation (Sonargaon Museum) for visitors. There are rare traditions in every gallery reserved. The galleries are elegant wood carving gallery, mask gallery, boat model gallery, indigenous gallery, the folk art gallery and burnt clay gallery, copper, glasses, brass utensil gallery, folk gallery, bamboo, cane, Shitol Pati gallery and special exhibition gallery.

Besides, the Foundation established two more galleries in 1996. The first of which is arranged with wooden and ancient architectural patterns. The other exhibit is organized with the traditional Jamdani and Nokshinatha of Sonargaon. Almost everything in rural Bangladesh has been found in this museum. From the designated wooden doors to the wooden signals, the various musical instruments, the small size models of different boats, the terracotta dolls, the stone platter, and the designed terracotta bricks are there.

Museum schedule:  Wednesday and Thursday are the weekly holidays. Opening time is 10 am from Friday to Tuesday.  Opening time is 10 am and closing time is 6:30 pm.

Ticket price: for adult Bangladeshi visitors, 20 Taka per person and 200 Taka for single foreign tourists.

How to go? From Gulistan, Saidabad and other bus stand frequent bus services are available. By Swadesh Paribahan, Sonargaon express or Borak paribahan bus service, you need to go to Mograpara and bus fare is 40 Taka per person. It may take 1 hour on Friday. If you visit another day, then it will take two-two and half hours. From Mograpara you will find an auto rickshaw to go to the museum or take a rickshaw to Panam City.