Historic preservation and landscape design of the Old Dhaka Central Jail and redevelopment of its surrounding area.
The Centre for Inclusive Architecture and Urbanism (Ci+AU) participated in this important national urban design competition in 2017 to redevelop Dhaka’s central jail in the old town into a museum and an urban park. Our proposal was selected as one of the five finalists, eventually receiving honorable mention. The physical model of our design is now part of the museum’s permanent exhibition.
In our proposed museum and park, infused with a “feel the jail” ethos, visitors would experience the Central Jail’s history and ecology in their most organic conditions, while finding respite from the congestion of the old town and the ambiance of a heritage village. Titled Jailnama (story of the jail), our project weaves together the jail compound’s three zones as a singular narrative of history, culture, and economy based on Old Dhaka’s unique urban character. The project begins from the core idea of a gently choreographed walkway that connects the key architectural nodes of the jail complex; such as, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s independent cell; Char Netar (four leaders) cell; the gallows; the inmate workshop; and the general jail blocks (Meghna, Surma, and Jamuna).
Our proposal aims to preserve the history of the jail, while ensuring economic viability through three interconnected zones, each serving distinct purposes yet sharing a commitment to efficient management, sustainability, urban vibrancy, and heritage preservation.
Zone A: Padma Chattar serves as the commercial and cultural hub, featuring amenities like a cineplex, swimming pool, retail spaces, and outdoor plazas. It captures the urban character of Old Dhaka with a network of buildings and courtyards, supported by underground public parking for enhanced accessibility. Zone B: Shamiana Chattar is inspired by traditional Bengali outdoor shading, extending the vibrant atmosphere of Old Dhaka into the jail compound. This area supports the artisanal community, promotes local culinary heritage, and serves as a market for heritage products like jamdani textiles. Zone C welcomes visitors with a large plaza, providing an axial entrance leading to the cell of Bangabandhu. This thoughtful layout integrates history, culture, and economic activity, ensuring a vibrant future for the area.
The walkway is conceived as a conceptual journey—jatra—into the history of the Central Jail. The walkway is flexible and allows visitors to see the old jail as a historical narrative, but without a grand theme. Along the walkway, there are small “knowledge” kiosks with interactive digital displays, highlighting the history of the jail’s different key spots. Occasional sitting arrangements on the walkway’s thematic wrought-iron design help visitors pause during their journey to reflect on the jail’s past, as well as the broader philosophical meanings of incarceration and freedom as a fundamental human need.
The design of the walkway is inspired by the typical door of a jail cell: a series of vertical wrought iron rods, obliquely connected by another rod, covered by a metal mesh for easy walkability. The jatri (journeyman) explores the idea of imprisonment as an experiential history of the jail compound.
The aquatic oval that frames the independent jail cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman terminates the entrance axis as a symbolic gesture toward our nation’s complex pursuit of self-rule. As they approach the slender and soaring “starry” tower, rising from the oval’s shallow water, visitors discover the modest jail house where the Father of the Nation spent many years of his life. The walkway encircles this structure that now serves as a museum and the trees planted by Bangabandhu. From there the walkway snakes through Char Netar jail, the gallows, and the prisoners’ Workshop. The loop then continues on to the main jail blocks.