Baitul Mukarram, the National Mosque of Bangladesh is designed in the style of the Kaaba of Mecca. The eight storied mosque can accommodate about 40,000 people at a time for performing their prayers. It is the biggest mosque of Bangladesh and the 10th biggest in the world which preserves the traditional principles of the Mughal Architectures.

History

The mosque complex was designed by architect, Abdulhusein M. Thariani.In 1959, owner of then Bawany Jute Mills, Haji Abdul Latif Bawany proposed to Major General Omrao Khan, then the military administrator of East Pakistan, of building a grand mosque in Dhaka. Omrao Khan agreed to help with building such mosque. The same year, 'Baitul Mukarram mosque committee' had been established and 8.30 acre of land between new Dhaka and old Dhaka had been chosen. At that time, there was a large pond in the present mosque's location. It was known as 'Paltan pond. The pond was filled up and on 27 January 1960 then president of Pakistan Ayub Khan commenced the work. Pray for the first time took place on Friday, 25 January 1963.

The plan included shops, offices, libraries, and parking areas within the complex. Though there has been a tradition of dome mosque for Muslims, this building did not maintain the rule of the traditional mosque at that time. A Mosque without a dome over the roof of its main prayer hall must have been a unique experiment. The mosque was built when the country was part of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In 2008 the mosque was extended, financed by a donation from the Saudi government.

How To Go

Anyone can visit by road with taxi/three-wheeler/bus from anywhere in Dhaka.