The name of the hotel ‘Shahbagh’ as the first aristocratic hotel in Dhaka is not available in the real world. Its existence has disappeared long ago. Like many traditional establishments in Dhaka, it has also been lost from the Dhaka city. The Hotel was situated in the garden of Nawab, Shahbagh in Dhaka. Once it expressed the fame of the city. Shahbag Hotel was the first three-star standard hotel in Dhaka. In addition to the native elite class, the hotel was the only one place for foreign guests for eating and living. Later, in 1966, a five-star hotel was constructed in front of the hotel. Whose first name is ‘Intercontinental’ Later it was named ‘Sheraton’ and the last name was ‘Ruposhi Bangla‘.
During the Pakistani rule, the government formed the hotel Shahbag. It is required to construct an elite residential hotel in Dhaka for foreign guests. In the 1950’s, accommodation and food arrangements for foreign guests, big receptions were all present here.
According to historical information, the architect of Hotel Shahbagh was two foreigners. They were residents of England. The name is British architects Edward Hicks and Ronald McConnel. The location of the hotel was at Shahbagh intersection, now the place where Pubali Bank is located. The building of Pubali Bank was then used as Muslim League office. The Muslim League office is under the patronage of Nawabbari of Dhaka. Later, the party office was up there.
After the partition of Bengal in 1905, the capital of East Bengal was established in Dhaka. Several buildings and establishments were developed at different places in Shahbagh. Which is named by the public as a civil station. In addition to these buildings, some entertainment buildings are also built. Among them, Shahbagh’s Ishrat Manzil was one of the most important. It is known that many famous artists and nude dancers of India came to perform different programs at these stages. The excitement of the prostitutes keeps the hotel awake all night.
Hotel Shahbag was the first three Star Hotel in Dhaka
Nawab Salimullah was elected on 14th and 15th April 1906 as the place of the whole India Muslim Education Conference. Then, on 30 December 1906, the All India Muslim League was established in the building. Later it was renovated and converted into Shahbagh Hotel; which was the first international hotel in Dhaka. In 1965, the building was acquired for running the Institute of Post Graduate Medicine and Research (IPGMR). This became known to ordinary people as PG Hospital. At present, PG Hospital Bangabandhu Medical University – BSMMU has been transformed.
National Professors and the main entrepreneurs are making the Bangladesh pharmaceutical policy. From the memoirs of Nurul Islam, it is known that the Pakistan government never wanted to establish a PG hospital in Dhaka. When they planned to build such an institution, the Pakistani government was strongly opposed. But it was implemented on 15 February 1966 by the efforts of three medical scientists. The institute was established based on Sir James Cameron, the then British Council Advisor, Professor Nurul Islam and Professor AKM Ahmad. After this, it was added to the school’s central government established School of Tropical Medicine.
The building was acquired by the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in 1998. In 1998, it passed the law of the Jatiya Sangsad and named it the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). The university’s journey began with the goal of higher medical education and research. Now this institution is being acclaimed as the highest medical education center in Bangladesh. But the common man, however, treats this clinic as a PG hospital. Along with this history becomes the disappearance of Dhaka’s first aristocratic hotel.
