The 360-Year-Old Pagla Bridge Near Dhaka, a Fading Relic of the Mughal Era

Near Dhaka, in the Pagla area of Narayanganj, lie the memories of a historic structure from the Mughal era. Once used as an important means of communication, the bridge known as Paglar Pul has been almost completely destroyed over time, yet its remaining pillars still carry many stories of Bengal's past.

According to historical accounts, Mughal subahdar Mir Jumla built water forts such as Sonakanda and Hajiganj to resist attacks by Arakanese pirates and Maghs. To maintain communication between those forts and the then capital Dhaka, he undertook the construction of roads and bridges, and Paglar Pul was an important structure of that period.

The bridge is known to have been built in 1662 over the Pagla River on the road from Dhaka to Narayanganj. Located close to Dhaka, it once played an important role not only in communication but also in security.

Architecturally, Paglar Pul was also exceptional. At its four corners stood four hollow towers, each topped with a dome. Historical accounts say guards on security duty were stationed in those towers.

French traveller and merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier wrote in his account that in 1666 he saw the severed heads of bandits hanging from a tall pillar beside the bridge, a picture of the harsh security measures of that time.

It is also known that the Mughals later broke one span of the bridge to prevent attacks by Arakanese and Magh pirates. In other words, a bridge built for communication eventually became part of a defence strategy.

In 1824, Bishop Reginald Heber was impressed by the architecture of Paglar Pul. His writing contains descriptions of the bridge's beauty. A painting by British artist Charles D'Oyly also captured the broken Pagla bridge.

These historical accounts and images give an idea of the bridge's former architectural style, although most of the original structure no longer survives.

In Atkinson's description, a special scene of light and shadow formed around the bridge. Sunlight reflecting off the white houses of Dhaka's European residents in the distance created a bright setting, and together with the shadows of the bridge and surrounding land, it produced an emotional scene.

With the passage of time, the Pagla River is now nearly dead or extinct. The historic bridge too has been almost completely destroyed. However, the ruins of a few minaret-like pillars still survive.

Paglar Pul is a silent relic of Mughal-era Bengal's communication system, military strategy and architectural heritage. There are calls to preserve this witness to history and recognise it as a national archaeological treasure.

With proper preservation and publicity initiatives, future generations will also be able to learn about the importance of this historic structure, and the relic surviving so close to Dhaka could become a unique destination for history-loving travellers.