BAGERHAT, Oct 29, 2019 (BSS) – Any ancient road or building or archeological
site has a mystical charm that reveals the true nature of the concerned area
that is steeped in tradition and culture.
As we live in modern times with beautiful roads, highways and buildings,
the ancient Khan Jahan Ali Road, one of the remarkable structures in
Bagerhat, is the primeval structure that burst with ageless allure and
fascination.
If the 600-year-old ancient road could speaks, it would tell endless tales
of people’s way of living, their livelihood, social fabric and economic
scenario as well. Testament to a culture and tradition of the whole region,
this 600-year-old road was set up in an area surrounded by dense mangrove
forest-the Sundarbans- with maze of rivers and the Bay of Bengal.
The legendary Muslim preacher and warrior Khan Jahan Ali turned the old
Khalifatabad into a livable region by constructing a number of mosques,
roads, bridges and ponds.
Anyone who walks through the ancient road that was built over 600 years
ago, he or she will be thrilled to ponder over that how many people had
walked on the road in the past. And, now he or she is stepping up on the
footprints of the people who are no more.
It is the ancient road constructed by Muslim Sufi saint and the then local
ruler in Bagerhat Khan Jahan Ali. For any lover of ancient structures or
archeological sites it would be hard to fathom how most part of the historic
road is disappeared today and only one killometre of the road still remains
as witness of time.
The ancient Khan Jahan Ali Road is one of the remarkable structures in
Bagerhat. The Sufi saint and Muslim ruler made the old Khalifatabad a livable
region by constructing a number of mosques, roads and bridges and ponds.
Although the exact time of the road’s construction could not be known, it
is thought that it would have been built at any time of the fifteen century.
Many people think that the road might have been built as a road-cum-city-
protection-embankment.
According to historians and archeologists, the length and wide of the road
from Khan Jahan’s residence to Knathaltala are about one kilomtre and 4.87
metres respectively. It is commonly known as ‘Kanjalir Road’ among locals.
The ‘Kanjalir Road’ was mentioned in Bengal District Gazetteer and books-
Keshobpurer Bidyanandokathi in Joshore, Joshorer Barobazar and Khalifatabad
Hote Chattogram Porjanto Khanjalir Road.
About the direction of the Khalifatabad Hote Chattogram Porjanto Khanjalir
Road, historian Satish Chandra Mitra said the road entered Barishal district
crossing Baleshbar starting from the eastern direction of the Shatgambuj and
crossing Bagerhat town through Karapara-Basabati village-Bhairabkul-near
Baleshbar-Boitpur-Kachuya-Chingrikhali village.
But the existence of the road from Barishal to Chandpur was not known after
the 16th century. The road might have lost its existing in a severe
earthquake like many localities through disappearing into the river changing
direction of the Parmatma Kirtanacha Padma.
Ulugh Khan Jahan proved his skills, foresight and construction efficiency
like architecture in constructing the road. The historians think that the
road of the middle-age Khalifatabad city was constructed with bricks to
increase beauty of the city and ensure civic amenities.
There is no information of existence of any road in the country which was
built 600 years ago except the Khan Jahan Ali Road. The government declared
the road as an archaeological site and an ancient road in 2011.
Bagerhat Museum Custodian Golam Ferdous said people know about the Grand
Trunk Road built by Sher Shah in the 16th century but they do not know about
the ancient road, which was built by Khan Jahan Ali about 100 years before
the Grand Trunk Road was constructed.
About the history of the brick-made road, he said the ancient Khan Jahan
Ali Road was ended reaching the Shrine of Bayazid Bostami in Chattogram via
Bagerhat and Barishal.
Stressing the need for maintaining and preserving the historical road, the
archeologist said, “We should make the Khan Jahan Ali Road branding to
attract tourists since people still know a little about this archeological
site”.
Afroza Khan Mita, the regional director of Archeological Department Khulna,
said the department has already preserved one kilometre of the ancient road
restricting vehicular movement, but its maintenance is a crying need.