Baitul Mukarram

The mosque complex was designed by architect Abdulhusein M. Thariani. In that meeting he proposed to Major General Khan, then military administrator of East Pakistan, that a grand mosque be built in Dhaka. Umrao Khan agreed to help build such a mosque. The same year, a Baitul Mukarram mosque committee was established and 8.3 acres of land between new Dhaka and Old Dhaka was chosen for the site. At that time, there was a large pond at the present mosque's location. It was known as Paltan pond. The pond was filled up and on 27 January 1960, then president of Pakistan Ayub Khan inaugurated the work. Prayers took place for the first time on Friday, 25 January 1963. On 28 March 1975, the Government of Bangladesh entrusted the management of the mosque to the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh. The mosque complex includes shops, offices, libraries and parking areas. Unusually, the mosque does not have a dome. In 2008, the mosque was extended, financed by a donation from the government of Saudi Arabia. ==Architecture==

The mosque has several modern architectural features whilst preserving the traditional principles of Mughal architecture which has for some time been dominant in the Indian sub-continent. Baitul Mukarram's large cube shape was modeled after that of the Kaaba at Mecca, making it a noticeable structure unlike any other mosque in Bangladesh. Exterior design The mosque is on a very high platform. The Baitul Mukarram National Mosque's building is eight storied and 99 feet high from the ground level. According to the original plan, the main entrance of the mosque was to be on the eastern side. The 'shaan' on the east is 29,000 square feet with ablution (Wu'du) space on its south and north sides. The absence of a dome on the main building is compensated by the two superficial domed entrance porticoes, one on the south, and the other on the north. The height of these porticoes consists of three rabbit's foot shaped arches, the middle of which is bigger than the rest. Interior design Two patios (roofless inner courtyard) ensure that enough light and air enter the prayer hall of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. The prayer niché of the hall is rectangular instead of semi-circular. Excessive ornamentation is avoided throughout the mosque, since minimizing ornamentation is typical of modern architecture. Garden The garden is laid out in a style borrowed heavily from Mughal gardens, however unlike the traditional Mughal gardens which represent the Islamic Heaven, the garden does not have the Char-Bagh system, most likely due to not having enough room for such a garden. The future of this garden is unknown; if the Bangladeshi government extends the mosque, it will most likely have to remove the garden. == Khatibs ==