Pilkhana, Bangladesh
|
Pilkhana BGB Headquarters |
|
|---|---|
| Para-Military Cantonment | |
 Pilkhana
|
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| Coordinates: 23°43′53.0256″N 90°22′19.9158″E / 23.731396000°N 90.372198833°ECoordinates: 23°43′53.0256″N 90°22′19.9158″E / 23.731396000°N 90.372198833°E | |
| Country |
 Bangladesh
|
| Division | Dhaka Division |
| District | Dhaka District |
| Time zone | BST (UTC+6) |
Pilkhana is a place within Dhaka City in Bangladesh. The word Pilkhana means "stable of elephants". Pilkhana is not officially named in any record of Dhaka City Corporation, but this is the popular name of this place as elephants are a part of its history (pil means "elephant" and khana means "home").
During the 16th century AD, in the period of the Mughal Empire, Pilkhana was a jungle place and was used as the grazing area for the royal elephants, its stable housing no less than 300 elephants. Later, during the period of East India Company administration, the company employees used to tame freshly caught untamed elephants. The rich Zamindars also sent their untamed elephants to this place, where company employees were paid to tame the elephants. This place was practically a forest, with River Buriganga beside it. During the Mughal period the royal elephants kept in this place used to go for grazing in the nearby jungle to the east, which was later turned into Dhaka Nawab's Garden, now known as Paribagh and Shahbagh. The path between Pilkhana and the jungle, through which the elephants traversed, later became public road named Elephant Road.
The Elephant Road now can be traced starting at BGB Gate number 3, running through the middle of New Super Market, adjacent to Dhaka New Market, touching the Gauchia Market to reach Bata signal point, and ending at Paribagh. This road is now known as Old Elephant Road.
After the fall of Mughal Empire the place Pilkhana was continued to be such used and the then British Empire took over the place for their military activity. In the year 1876 AD Viceroy of India founded "Frontier Force" and established its headquarters in Pilkhana. This Frontier Force changed its name as Assam Bengal Rifles in the year 1920 AD. After the achievement of Pakistan the name of this para-military force was changed to East Pakistan Rifles, (EPR),thereafter during the Independence War of 1971 the name of EPR was changed to East Pakistan Civil Armed Force, EPCAF. After the Independence of Bangladesh it was changed to Bangladesh Rifles, (BDR) and after the BDR carnage on 25 February 2009, it has been changed currently as Border Guard Bangladesh, BGB. Although with the passage of time the name of the said para-military force was changed on number of occasion, but the headquarters of it remain in Pilkhana.
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Wikipedia