Bahadur Shah Park

Bahadur Shah Park (historically known as Victoria Park and originally Antaghar Maidan) is an iconic circular urban park and sacred national memorial located at the historic crossroads of Sadarghat in Old Dhaka. Surrounded by premier educational and judicial institutions, the park stands as a solemn monument to the valiant martyrs of the 1857 First War of Independence against British colonial rule.

In the aftermath of the 1857 uprising, British forces captured rebel sepoys from the Lalbagh Fort garrison and executed them by hanging from the ancient banyan trees of this very square to strike terror across the city. Nearly a century later, in 1957, on the centenary of the uprising, a grand obelisk memorial was erected here, and the park was renamed in honor of the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II.

At the center of the park rises an impressive four-pillared white stone memorial plinth surmounted by an eternal star, surrounded by paved walking walkways, ornamental lamp-posts, and shaded park benches. The air is filled with the lively energy of students from nearby Jagannath University, Dhaka Collegiate School, and Kaviraj traditional dispensaries.

Serving as the gateway to Old Dhaka's riverfront, Bahadur Shah Park is an indispensable stop for heritage walkers exploring the rich architectural, historical, and culinary tapestry of the old city.

In the early 19th century, the site was known as Antaghar Maidan, named after a colonial billiard clubhouse located nearby.

In 1858, Queen Victoria's proclamation transferring the governance of India from the East India Company to the British Crown was read aloud to the public on these grounds, prompting its renaming as Victoria Park.

In 1957, the Dhaka municipality dedicated the grand memorial to the martyred soldiers of the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, formally establishing Bahadur Shah Park as a symbol of anti-colonial resistance.

November to February: Cool, pleasant weather ideal for walking through the lanes of Old Dhaka.

Year-round: A bustling urban park that can be visited in any season, especially in the late afternoon.