Baitul Mukarram Mosque

The Baitul Mukarram National Mosque is situated in the Paltan area near Gulistan, the core of Dhaka. The initiative to build the colossal, sophisticated mosque was taken by Latif Bawani, the then-owner of Bawani Jute Mills, and his nephew Yahya Bawani on January 27, 1970. 6.30 acres of land was allotted in Paltan for the Baitul Mukarram Mosque, designed by AH Tharani, a prominent Indus architect. The construction of the mosque was completed in 1968.  The eighth storey mosque, which is 99 feet tall from the ground, has the volume to allocate more than 42000 faithful Muslims for prayers. On the ground floor, there are various shopping malls and warehouses, parking areas. Offices and libraries are also part of the mosque for believers to have easy access to books of faith. The first floor to the eighth floor of the mosque is used for prayers.

The mosque is delicately designed with several modern as well as traditional Mughal architecture. The large cube-shaped is a replica inspired by the holy Kaaba instead of a traditional domed-shaped mosque. The mosque has entrances from the north, south, east, and west of itself.  The Shaan on the east side is 29000 square feet with space for ablution on its north and south sides. The absence of a dome on the main building is compensated by the two superficial domed entrance porches, each on the south, the north.

The interior consists of two roofless inner courtyards to ensure that enough light and air enter the prayer hall of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. The prayer niche of the hall is rectangular instead of semi-circular. Excessive ornamentation is avoided throughout the mosque symbolizing modern architecture. The Islamic Foundation Bangladesh has been in charge of the maintenance of the Baitul Mukarram Mosque since March 26, 1975.

The garden is set in a grace that elevates the beauty of the place, borrowed heavily from Mughal garden, nevertheless, unlike the old-style Mughal gardens, the garden does not have the Char-Bagh system most likely due to not having enough room for such a garden. The Baitul Mukarram is very much crowded on the Friday Prayers which makes the place livelier.