Dhaka (Beng. ঢাকা) is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. Located in the Ganges delta, on the left bank of the Buriganga. Dhaka was the capital of Bengal from 1608-1717, and the capital of Bangladesh since 1971.
The population of the city is 9,724,976 inhabitants (2005), and with the suburbs – 16.6 million people (2008).
The city was founded in the 7th century. According to one version, the name of the city comes from the name of the Hindu goddess of fertility Durga, according to another – from the name of a tropical tree that gives valuable resin.
Dhaka is located on the banks of the Buriganga River, near the confluence of the Padma and Meghna rivers. It is a river port in the delta of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, as well as a center for water tourism.

Climate
Dhaka is a city with a hot, stuffy and humid tropical climate. The city experiences monsoons with an average annual temperature of 28 °C (82 °F); temperatures vary from 20°C (68°F) in January to 32°C in May. Almost 80% of the average annual precipitation falls between May and September. The increase in air and water pollution caused by urban congestion and industrial waste has become a serious problem affecting public health and quality of life in the city. Water bodies and swamps around Dhaka could be destroyed as high-rise buildings and other properties are built in their place. Pollution-related erosion of natural habitats threatens to destroy much of the region’s biofauna.
The average annual temperature is +26 °C;
the average annual wind speed is 6 m/s.

History
The emergence of a settlement in the territory now occupied by Dhaka dates back to the 7th century. The territory of the city was under the rule of the Buddhist kingdom of Kamarupa and the Pala Empire before coming under the control of the Hindu dynasty of Sena in the 9th century. The city’s name may have come from the founding of the temple of the goddess Dhakeshwari by King Ballal Sena in the 12th century. Dhaka and its environs during this period were defined as Bengalla. The city itself included several markets such as Lakshmi Bazaar, Shankhari Bazaar, Kumartuli and others. After the Sena Dynasty, Dhaka was successively ruled by Turkic and Pashtun governors of the Delhi Sultanate before it entered the Mughal Empire in 1608. The development of the settlement, including through an increase in housing construction, led to a significant increase in the population, in as a result, the city was proclaimed the capital (rajmahal) of Bengal during the reign of the Mughals in 1608. The Mughal subadar Islam Khan was the first ruler of the city. Khan named the city “Jahangir Nagar” (জাহাঙ্গীর নগর; City of Jahangir) after the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, however this name was dropped from the name shortly after Jahangir’s death. The main increase in the city took place during the reign of Shaista Khan. The city had an area of ​​19 by 13 kilometers (12 by 8 miles), with a population of about one million.
The British East India Company in 1765 gained the right to collect taxes (the right of Divani), and in 1793 took over the administration of the city when the Bengali Nawabs were forced to give up their power over Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Thus, the city came under full British control. The city’s population declined sharply during this period, while nearby Calcutta developed. Soon Dhaka also began to develop. The modern water supply system was put into operation in 1874, and the electricity supply appeared in 1878. Near the city, the cantonment of Dhaka appeared, serving as a military base for British and Bengali soldiers.

In 1905, as a result of the unsuccessful first partition of Bengal, Dhaka was declared the capital of the newly created state of East Bengal, but already in 1911 Bengal was reunited. In 1947, after the partition of British India, Dhaka became the capital of East Pakistan. After that, clashes began to occur between the communities of the city. Most of the Hindu population of the city went to India, while many Muslims came to Dhaka. In the city, which was the center of regional politics, strikes and acts of violence became more frequent. The recognition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan led to large-scale protests. As a result of the crackdown on a pro-Bengali language demonstration, several students were shot dead by the police. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Dhaka remained a center of political activity, with increased demands for autonomy for the Bengali population.

In 1970, the devastating cyclone Bhola hit much of the region, killing about half a million people. More than half of the city was flooded. Due to insufficient efforts authorities aimed at eliminating the consequences of the cyclone, as well as due to ethnic discrimination, public discontent began to increase. On March 7, 1971, Bengali politician Mujibur Rahman organized a nationalist rally at the Ramna Racecourse. As a result, the independence of Bangladesh was proclaimed on March 26. In response, the Pakistani army launched a military operation to establish control over East Pakistan, as a result of which many Bangladeshi civilians were killed. India intervened in the conflict – and on December 16, after its victory in the war, Bangladesh gained independence. In Dhaka, which became the capital of the country, a significant population growth began, many workers moved there from the countryside. The growth of trade and industry, as well as the population of the city, created additional problems for infrastructure and services. The expansion of the city’s borders was followed by a building boom.

Economy
Most of the country’s industry is located in the city, represented by the production of jute fiber, cotton, metalworking, food and other industries. There is a production of muslin. The region in which Dhaka is located specializes in the cultivation of jute and rice.
According to the data for 2009, Dhaka’s GDP amounted to 85 billion US dollars, the annual GDP growth is 6.2%. The average per capita income is $1,350 per year. However, about 34% of households live below the poverty line, with a large proportion surviving on less than $5 a day. The unemployment rate remains high at around 19%.

Transport
An important part of public transport in Dhaka are cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws; about 400,000 rickshaws go to work every day. However, only about 85,000 rickshaws are licensed for this activity. Cycle rickshaws are banned in many parts of the city, as they cause severe traffic jams. The bus fleet is operated by the state-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) as well as private operators.
Dhaka is an important transport hub connecting many parts of the country and neighboring regions of India. The Port of Dhaka is one of the largest river ports in the world; it connects the city to the interior of the country along the Buriganga River and other branches of the Ganges Delta.
Shah Jalal International Airport (formerly Shah Jalal Airport Dhaka) – the largest and busiest in the country, located 15 km from the city center. This airport accounts for up to 52% of all international and domestic flights in Bangladesh.