Panam City

Panam Nagar or Panam City is well known as the “Lost City” to Bangladeshis. Historical Panam Nagar is located in Sonargaon Thana of Narayanganj District, near Dhaka . In the 15th century, Isha Khan established the first capital of Bengal at Sonargaon. This city has been built in an area of ​​about 20 square kilometers of Sonargaon. In 2006, Panam Nagar was included in the list of 100 endangered historical structures of the world created by the World Monument Fund.

Panam City is surrounded by Pankhiraj Canal on all four sides. The Pankhiraj canal joins the Meghna river called Menikhali river. Meghna river is on the east side of Panam city and Shitalaksya on the west side. Muslin was exported through this river. There is a huge gate at the entrance of Panam city, this gate is closed at sunset. Even now, no visitor can stay in Panama City after dusk.

There is a difference in the construction style of various buildings in Panama City. Every building in this city of the then wealthy class has exquisite craftsmanship and a touch of nobility. There are about 52 buildings on both sides of the road that cuts through the heart of the city. There are 31 buildings on the north side of the main road and 21 on the south side. Some of these buildings have one floor, some have two or three floors.

Apart from residential buildings inside the city, there are mosques, churches, temples, monasteries, dance halls, chitrashalas, panthshalas, khajanchikhanas, court rooms, old museums, baths and secret passages. Besides, 400 years old mint house and indigo made by East India Company can be seen here.

Folk and Handicrafts Museum: Just one kilometer away from Panama City is the Folk and Handicrafts Museum. There is a sculpture of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin at the entrance of Folk and Crafts Museum. A total of 11 galleries in the museum preserve rare heritage artifacts. The galleries house elaborate wood carvings, masks, boat models, folk instruments and burnt clay patterns, jamdani and nakshikantha etc.

Gowaldi Masjid : Gowaldi Masjid can be visited from Gowaldi Masjid for just 15 to 20 taka rickshaw fare from Folk and Crafts Museum. Built by Mullah Hijabar Akbar Khan during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Hussain Shah in 1519, Gwaldi Mosque is an attractive place for tourists.

From Dhaka's Gulistan, take an AC bus to Doyel, Swadesh or Borak and get off at Mograpara intersection. Fares for the above buses from Gulistan are Tk 45, Tk 40 and Tk 50 respectively. You can go to Panam city from Mograpara intersection by battery operated auto or rickshaw for 20 to 40 taka.

Entry fee : A ticket of 15 rupees is required to enter Panama City. To enter the museum, you have to buy a ticket for 30 taka per person.

Schedule : The museum is closed on every Wednesday and Thursday.

Caution : Buildings are very old as they are very dangerous now so don't climb on top of any building in defiance of instructions.