Jatio Sangsad Bhaban Complex: The Emergence of Neocolonial Capitalist Planning in Dhaka as a Sequel

Abstract

Jatio Sangsad Bhaban (JSB), the National
Assembly Complex in Bangladesh (Former East
Pakistan) envisioned in 1962, followed by the 1959
Minoprio, Master plan initiated the new phase of
modern space creation in the landscape of Dhaka.
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, grew towards north
from the bank of Buriganga river went through a series
of transformation over 400 years. The locally controlled
growth of old Dhaka during the 17th to 18thth century
under the rubrics of mostly indigenous settlement,
morphed into British colonial and Geddes Dhaka
during the 19th 20th century, culminating into the
emergence of JSB Complex Dhaka in a neocolonial
Capitalist driven world order in the early sixties during
cold war era. The 3 layers of city segment can be seen as
an outcome of the changing political setting from local
to European (British) colonial and finally under US
governed global political order. This paper will try to
connect the 3 stages of spatial transformation with the
element of shifting power and resource control in line
with the theoretical framework by Kim Dovey which
states that space creation in a city is articulated and
constructed by the power structure through the control
of resources and economic influence.