The Mughal Fort That Became a British Prison: A Historical Journey Through Dhaka’s Central Jail

Deep within the narrow lanes of Old Dhaka lies a monument to centuries of history and transformation, a Mughal fort that later became a British prison and is now under construction to become a cultural site. This site, steeped in imperial intrigue and the evolving story of colonial rule, reveals how architecture, power and memory intersect in a city that has been a crossroads of cultures for centuries.

The fort’s transformation from a bastion of Mughal military might to a colonial detention centre illustrates a broader narrative: how foreign rule reshaped South Asia’s built environment and how spaces once designed for defence became tools of suppression. Today, the story of this fort also points toward questions of preservation, identity and the layers of history beneath modern Bangladesh.

Mughal Era Origins: Fortification and Imperial Strategy

The Mughal Empire (1526–1857) left a profound architectural legacy across the Indian subcontinent, from the Taj Mahal in the north to sprawling gardens, mosques, caravanserais and fortifications that dotted key strategic points. Dhaka, emerging as a major provincial capital under Mughal rule, became an important seat of administration and military planning in eastern Bengal.

The fort built during this period served both defensive and administrative purposes. Mughal forts were typically characterised by:

• Thick battlement walls, designed to withstand artillery fire

• Strategically placed bastions for surveillance and defence

• Internal courtyards and barracks for soldiers

• Gateways reflecting Indo-Persian architectural aesthetics

These structures were not only military installations but also physical representations of imperial authority. They symbolised the reach of the Mughal state and served as hubs for governance, trade protection and regional order.

In Dhaka, a city once known as Jahangirnagar under Mughal patronage, such structures were essential to securing the rich agricultural and mercantile hinterland that fuelled the empire’s prosperity.

The British Takeover and Colonial Reconfiguration

By the late 18th century, the balance of power in Bengal had irrevocably shifted. Following the 1757 Battle of Plassey and later military and administrative consolidation, the British East India Company emerged as the dominant authority, eventually paving the way for direct British Crown rule by the mid-19th century.

Once in control, the British repurposed many existing Mughal structures to suit their colonial administrative needs. In this context, the Dhaka Mughal fort originally built for defence against rival powers was transformed into a British prison. This change marked a stark shift not only in function but in the attitudes toward architecture and power.

Where Mughal fortifications had once projected regional governance and protection, the British repurposed those same walls to:

• Detain political prisoners and dissidents

• Suppress resistance to colonial rule

• Impose control through incarceration

The very stones that had once echoed with the commands of Mughal officers now contained the footsteps and voices of those resisting or challenging colonial authority. This transformation is emblematic of the broader colonial project in South Asia, where indigenous spaces were often subsumed and repurposed to reinforce British dominance.

Lives Within the Walls: Prison Realities

While the fort’s Mughal era was rooted in military readiness and governance, its time as a British prison was marked by a far more somber set of realities.

Historical accounts from colonial Bengal detail the conditions of prisons during the 19th and early 20th centuries:

• Overcrowded cells

• Harsh disciplinary measures

• Limited access to natural light or ventilation

• Segregation according to race, class, and charge

While records often focus on administrative details, oral histories and less formal accounts describe the human experience of detention under colonial law  accounts of hardship, resistance and the psychological burdens of confinement.

For local communities in Dhaka, the prison’s presence was also a reminder of shifting power structures. Families of detainees and political activists lived with the fear and uncertainty associated with British punitive systems.

Political Resistance and National Memory

The colonial prison era draws a direct line into the broader history of resistance movements in Bengal. Bengal was a hotbed of political activism, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with movements seeking greater autonomy, justice and eventual independence from British rule.

Many political prisoners  activists, writers, students, labour organisers found themselves in colonial detention. These historical lives are integral to understanding the regional struggle against imperial control. While specific records related to the Dhaka fort’s use as a prison may be sparse, the broader context of political imprisonment in Bengal amplifies its symbolic importance.

Today, national memory in Bangladesh pays tribute to those who resisted colonial rule and sacrificed for self-determination. The fort’s history as a detention centre is an important chapter in this narrative, linking urban heritage to collective memory and national identity.

Post-Colonial Era and Legacy

With the end of British colonial rule following the 1947 partition and the eventual emergence of Bangladesh in 1971, many colonial sites faced new futures. Some were destroyed or neglected; others were repurposed yet again. The Mughal fort-cum-prison in Dhaka stands as a layered relic — at once a testament to imperial ambition, colonial coercion and historical continuity.

In the post-independence era, there has been ongoing conversation among historians, cultural activists and urban planners about how to preserve such sites. These structures are not only physical remnants but are repositories of memory that connect modern citizens to their past.

Questions that often arise in this context include:

• Should the fort be preserved as a heritage site?

• How can its history be interpreted so that diverse audiences understand its layered past?

• Can the site be integrated into educational programs, museums or public history tours?

• What role should government and civil society play in conserving such structures?

Answers to these questions are central to how Dhaka and Bangladesh at large negotiate the preservation of historical identity in an era of rapid urban change.

The Fort’s Architecture: Witness to Time

Architecturally, the fort exemplifies Mughal fortification principles  even if its current state reflects centuries of adaptation and wear. Scholars and heritage activists note several key architectural features that make such sites worthy of study:

• Fortified walls and bastions, adapted for both defence and colonial administrative functions

• Strategic placement within the city’s geography, taking advantage of natural landscapes and waterways

• Adaptation of Mughal aesthetics, including arched gateways and design motifs

Although the British made internal modifications to convert it into a prison, the core structure still reflects its Mughal roots, a layered architectural legacy that makes the fort particularly fascinating.

Heritage, Education and Public Engagement

Preserving the old Dhaka fort and its story serves multiple purposes:

• Educational Resource: Schools, universities and researchers can use the site to explore Mughal, colonial and post-colonial histories.

• Tourism Potential: International and domestic tourists often seek historical sites that tell complex stories of the past.

• Public Memory: Local residents and communities benefit when heritage sites are contextualised in public history projects.

• Cultural Identity: Historical landmarks help anchor a sense of place and continuity in rapidly changing urban environments.

Local heritage organisations have increasingly called for systematic conservation plans, including documentation, physical preservation and interpretive signage that helps visitors understand the fort’s multifaceted past.

 A Monument of Memory and Transformation

The Mughal fort that became a British prison is more than an architectural relic in Dhaka; it is a symbol of transformation, power and memory. Its evolution from a defensive bulwark to a colonial prison reflects broader shifts in South Asia’s political landscape from imperial dominance to colonial rule, and eventually to independence and national identity.

Today, as Dhaka continues to expand and modernise, this layered site stands as a reminder of the city’s complex past. Preserving, interpreting and engaging with this history offers opportunities for education, reflection and cultural continuity.

In the interplay between bricks and stories, the fort remains a witness to empires, to resistance, and to the ongoing conversation about how a nation remembers where it has come from.