The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Prior to 19th century

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History of Bangladesh
Etymology Timeline Traditional Urheimat
Ancient Neolithic, c. 7600 – c. 3300 BCE Bronze Age, c. 3300 – c. 1200 BCE Iron Age, c. 1200 – c. 200 BCE Janapada, c. 1200 – c. 600 BCE Northern Black Polished Ware, c. 700 – c. 200 BCE Pundra Kingdom, c. 700 – c. 200 BCE Bengal in Mahabharata, c. 400 – c. 325 BCE Gangaridai Kingdom, c. 350 – c. 325 BCE Mauryan Empire, c. 325 – c. 185 BCE Samatata Kingdom, c. 232 BCE – c. 800 AD Shunga-Kushan Period, c. 185 BCE – c. 75 AD Southwestern Silk Road, c. 114 BCE – c. 1450 AD Indo-Roman trade relations, c. 30 BCE – c. 600 AD
Classical Gupta Empire, c. 240 – c. 550 AD Harikela Kingdom, c. 600 - c. 650 Gauda Kingdom, c. 590 – c. 626 Gour (Sylhet), c. 600 – c. 1303 Khadga dynasty, c. 650 – c. 750 Pala Empire, c. 750 – c. 1100 Arrival of Islam, c. 800 – c. 1050 Candra dynasty, c. 900 – c. 1050 Sena dynasty, c. 1070 – c. 1320 Deva dynasty, c. 1100 – c. 1250
Medieval Bhulua (Noakhali), c. 1203 – c. 1600s Delhi Sultanate, c. 1204 – c. 1338 Mamluk Dynasty Khalji Dynasty Tugluq Dynasty Sonargaon Sultanate, c. 1338 – c. 1352 Bengal Sultanate, c. 1352 – c. 1576 Ilyas Shahi dynasty Hussain Shahi dynasty Karrani dynasty Suri Dynasty, c. 1540 – c. 1556 Twelve Bhuyans, c. 1550 – c. 1620 Porto Grande de Bengala, c. 1528 – c. 1666 Chittagong-Arakan Kingdom, c. 1530 – c. 1666 Mughal Empire, c. 1576 – c. 1717 Bengal Subah
Modern Nawabs of Bengal, c. 1717 – c. 1757 Company Raj, c. 1757 – c. 1858 Bengal famine of 1770 Faraizi Movement, c. 1818 – c. 1884 The Great Rebellion, c. 1857 – c. 1858 British Raj, c. 1858 – c. 1947 Bengal Renaissance Partition of Bengal (1905) Eastern Bengal and Assam Bengal famine of 1943 Prime Minister of Bengal Noakhali riots East Bengal, c. 1947 – c. 1955 Partition of Bengal (1947) East Bengali refugees Bengali Language Movement East Pakistan, c. 1955 – c. 1971 1964 East Pakistan riots Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Six Point Movement 1969 uprising in East Pakistan Pakistani general election, 1970 Non-cooperation movement, 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, c. 1971 Declaration of Independence Provisional Government of Bangladesh 1971 Bangladesh Genocide (Rape) Bangladesh Forces Surrender of Pakistan
Contemporary Post-independence years, 1972 – 1975 Bangladesh famine of 1974 Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Jail Killing Day Military rule, 1975 – 1990 Military coups in Bangladesh Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict 1990 Mass Uprising Transition to democracy, 1991 – 2008 Caretaker government of Bangladesh Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord 2006–08 Bangladeshi political crisis Present parliamentary era, 2009– present Vision 2021 and Digital Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal Quota reform movement 2021 Bangladesh Communal Violence Smart Bangladesh
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• 8th century CE – Dhaka part of Pala Empire.
• 1095 – Senas in power.
• 1457 – Binat Bibi Mosque constructed.^[1]
• 1459 – Gate built.^[2]
• 1580s – Portuguese merchants open the first European trading post in Dhaka.^[3]
• 1610 – City renamed Jahangirnagar; becomes capital of Bengal; Mughal Islam Khan in power.^[2][3][4]
• 1639 – Capital relocated from Dhaka to Rajmahal.^[2]
• 1640 – Mughal Eidgah mosque built.^[5][6]
• 1642 – Hussaini Dalan (mosque) built.^[7]
• 1645 – Bara Katra (caravansary) built.^[5][6][4]
• 1646 – Navaratna temple built (approximate date).^[6]
• 1649 – Lalbagh Fort mosque built.^[2]
• 1659 – Capital relocated to Dhaka from Rajmahal.^[2]
• 1660 – Pagla bridge built on Dacca-Narayangaj road (approximate date).^[6][8]
• 1682 – 25 October: William Hedges, the first Agent and Governor of East India Company in the Bay of Bengal, arrived Dhaka.^[9]: 156
• 1663 – Choto Katra (caravansary) built.
• 1668 – English Factory built.^[5]
• 1676 – Chowk Bazaar Shai Mosque built.
• 1677 – Holy Rosary Church built by Portuguese.
• 1678 – Lalbagh palace construction begins.^[5]
• 1679 – Shahbaz Khan Mosque and Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque built.^[2]
• 1696
  • Mosque of Haji Kahjeh Shahabag built in Ramne (approximate date).^[6]
  • Jayakali temple and Siva temple built in Thatari Bazar (approximate date).^[6]
• 1704 – Murshid Quli Khan residence relocates from Dhaka to Murshidabad.^[10]
• 1717 – Khan Muhammad Ali Khan becomes deputy governor.^[11]
• 1723 – Itisam Khan becomes deputy governor.^[11]
• 1728 – Mirza Lutfullah becomes deputy governor.^[11]
• 1756 – Jasarat Khan becomes deputy governor.^[11]
• 1765
  • British East India Company in power.
  • Population: 450,000 (estimate).^[12]
• 1781 – Armenian Church built.^[6]
• 1793 – Laxmi Narayan Mandir (temple) built.
• 1800 – Population: 200,000 (estimate).^[10]

19th century

• 1815
  • Catholic church built.^[13]
  • Lunatic Asylum founded.^[13]
• 1819 – St. Thomas Church built.^[13]
• 1825 – Population: 150,000 (approximate).^[14]
• 1830
  • Iron suspension bridge constructed across Dullye Creek.^[5]
  • Gurdwara Nanak Shahi built.^[15]
  • Population: 66,989.^[16]
• 1834 – Ghaziuddin Haider becomes deputy governor.^[11]
• 1835 – Dhaka Collegiate School established.^[17]
• 1840 – Population bottoms out at 50,000.^[18]
• 1846 – Union School is established to give the poor an English education.^[19]
• 1850 – Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Bengal established.
• 1857 – Uprising of sepoys.^[13][4]
• 1858
  • City becomes part of British Raj.
  • Mitford Hospital established.^[10]
• 1864 – 1 August: Dacca Municipality established.^[13]
• 1866 – Langar Khana (almshouse) founded.^[10]
• 1872 – Population: 69,212.^[16]
• 1874 – Madrasa established.^[13]
• 1875 – Medical school established.^[13]
• 1876 – Dhaka Survey School is established to teach surveying and road building in the vernacular.^[20]
• 1878
  • Water-works in operation.^[10]
  • Eden Girls' College established.^[13]
• 1880 – Northbrook Hall built.
• 1881 – Population: 79,076.^[10]
• 1882 – St Gregory's School founded.
• 1883 – Jagannth College founded.^[13] (Now Jagannath University)
• 1885 – Revenue service begins on the Narayanganj-Dhaka portion of the Dacca State Railway.^[21]
• 1886 – Mymensingh-Dhaka railway opens.^[17]
• 1888
  • April: Tornado.^[13]
  • Ahsan Manzil (Pink Palace) rebuilt.^[22]
• 1892 – 16 March: Jeanette Rummary (as Jeanette Van Tassell) makes the first balloon ascension and parachute jump in Dhaka's history as a member of a travelling aerial exhibition led by Park Van Tassel.^[23]
• 1897 – 12 June: Earthquake.^[4]

20th century

1900s–1960s

• 1901 – Population: 90,542; district of Dacca: 2,649,522.^[4]
• 1902 – April: Tornado.^[13]
• 1904 – Curzon Hall built.
• 1905 – City becomes capital of newly formed East Bengal and Assam province.^[18]
• 1906 – December: All India Muhammadan Educational Conference held.^[24]
• 1909 – Baldha Garden laid out.
• 1911 – Dhaka Club organized.
• 1918 – Influenza outbreak.^[12]
• 1921 – University of Dhaka established.^[7]
• 1946 – Dhaka Medical College established.
• 1947 – City becomes capital of East Bengal, a province of newly independent Pakistan.^[25]
• 1949 – All Pakistan Women's Association East Pakistan Branch organized.^[11]
• 1951
  • Habib Productions theatre troupe active.^[26]
  • Area of city: 85 square kilometers.^[27]
  • Population: 411,279.^[28]
• 1952 – Asiatic Society organized.
• 1953 – Holy Family Hospital built.
• 1954
  • Dhaka Stock Exchange incorporated.
  • Dacca Stadium and New Market built.
• 1955
  • City becomes capital of East Pakistan.
  • Bangla Academy established.^[29]
• 1956
  • Drama Circle active.^[26]
  • RAJUK Bhaban built.
• 1959 – Alliance Française de Dhaka founded.
• 1960 – Islamia Eye Hospital and Cholera Research Hospital founded.^[7]
• 1961 – Tejgaon College established.
• 1964 – Bangabhaban reconstructed.
• 1965 – Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research and Jinnah College founded.^{[citation needed]}
• 1967 – Officers' Club established.
• 1968
  • Protests against Ayub Khan regime.^{[citation needed]}
  • Baitul Mukarram (mosque) built.

1970s–1990s

• 1970
  • November: Bhola cyclone.
  • Jiraz Art Gallery in business.^[30]
• 1971
  • 7 March: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman speaks at Ramna Race Course Maidan.
  • 25 March: Bangladesh Liberation War begins; Dhaka University massacre.
  • 27 March: Ramna Kali Mandir (temple) razed.
  • 16 December: Instrument of Surrender signed.
  • City becomes capital of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
  • The Bangladesh Observer newspaper in publication.^[31]
• 1972
  • Ekushey Book Fair begins.
  • Dhaka Shishu Hospital established.
  • Abahani Limited sports club formed.
  • Shaheed Minar (monument) rebuilt.
• 1973 – Dhaka Theatre established.^[26]
• 1974
  • Abul Hasnat becomes mayor.^[32]
  • Dhaka Zoo established.
  • Saju Art Gallery in business.^[30]
  • Population: 1,730,253 urban agglomeration.^[33]
• 1975
  • Islamic Foundation Bangladesh formed.
  • 15 August: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is assassinated.^[34]
  • 3 November: Awami League leaders killed in Dhaka Central Jail.^[7]
• 1976 – Dhaka Metropolitan Police department established.
• 1977 – 2 October: Coup attempt.^[7]
• 1980 – School of the Society for Education in Theatre established.^[26]
• 1981
  • Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation organized.^[35]
  • Area of city: 510 square kilometers.^[27]
  • Population: 3,440,147.^[27]
• 1982
  • Mahamudul Hassan becomes mayor.^[32]
  • Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban (parliament building) constructed.
  • Mirpur and Gulshan become part of Dhaka municipality.^[36]
• 1983 – Bangladesh Shilpa Bank Bhaban built.
• 1985
  • December: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit held.
  • Bangladesh Bank Building and Janata Bank Bhaban constructed.
  • The National Library of Bangladesh moves into a new, purpose-built facility.^[37]
• 1986 – Bangladesh Medical College established.
• 1989
  • Maziur Rhaman becomes mayor.^[32]
  • Dhaka Pantomime group formed.^{[citation needed]}
• 1990 – Abul Hasnat becomes mayor.^[32]
• 1991
  • Mirza Abbas becomes mayor.^[32]
  • Daily Star newspaper begins publication.
  • Area of city: 1,353 square kilometers.^[27]
  • Population: 6,887,459.^{[27][nb 1]}
• 1993
  • Independent University, Bangladesh was established.
• 1994
  • Mohammad Hanif becomes mayor.^[32]
  • Puppet Development Centre opens.^[26]
• 1995
  • Pantapath road and Dhaka Nagar Bhaban constructed.
  • Dhaka Imperial College established.
• 1996 – East West University established.
• 1998 – Prothom Alo newspaper begins publication.
• 1999 – March: D-8 summit held.
• 2000
  • Chobi Mela International Photography Festival begins.^[39]
  • Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts opens.^[30]

21st century

• 2001
  • BRAC University established.
  • Area of city: 1,530 square kilometers.^[27]
• 2002
  • Sadeque Hossain Khoka becomes mayor.^[32]
  • China Bangladesh Friendship Center built.
• 2004 – Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre and Bashundhara City (shopping mall) open.
• 2005
  • Jagannath College transformed into Jagannath University
  • Concord Grand built.
• 2008 – Population: 7,000,940.^[40]
• 2011
  • Hay Festival begins.^[41]
  • Population: 8,906,035.^[42]
• 2012
  • April: Demonstration.^[43]
  • Dhaka Gladiators cricket team formed.
  • City Centre (building) constructed.
  • City designated a Capital of Islamic Culture.^[44]
• 2013
  • Protests in Shahbag.
  • 2013 Savar building collapse.^[45]
• 2014 – Air pollution in Dhaka reaches annual mean of 85 PM2.5 and 150 PM10, much higher than recommended.^[46]
• 2016 – 1 July: Gulshan attack.
• 2019 – 20 February: Chowk Bazaar fire.