Segunbagicha সেগুনবাগিচা
Neighbourhood
Skyline of Segunbagicha
Segunbagicha Location of Segunbagicha within Dhaka Show map of Dhaka Segunbagicha Location of Segunbagicha within Dhaka Division Show map of Dhaka division Segunbagicha Location of Segunbagicha within Bangladesh Show map of Bangladesh
Coordinates: 23°44′03″N 90°24′28″E / 23.734032°N 90.4076745°E / 23.734032; 90.4076745
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Dhaka Division
District	Dhaka District
Time zone	UTC+6 (BST)
Postal Code	1000

Segunbagicha (Bengali: সেগুনবাগিচা, romanised: Shegunbagicha), also sometimes unofficially spelt as Shegunbagicha or Segun Bagicha, is a major residential and semi-bureaucratic neighbourhood in south-central Dhaka.^[1] The neighbourhood is one of the important areas of Dhaka featuring a large number of government and residential complexes. It acts as a bridge between the major thanas of Ramna, Shahbagh, Dhanmondi, Paltan and Motijheel.

Segunbagicha hosts a large number of middle-class, upper-middle class and affluent people, as a result, this neighbourhood is bustling with high-rise buildings, mostly residential but some government and corporate buildings too. Segunbagicha is a centre of government office building and institutions including the headquarters of The Directorate General of National Security Intelligence, Anti-Corruption Commission (commonly known as duduk; দুদক),^[2] Motsho Bhobon (building of Department of Fisheries), Bangladesh Secretariat, the International Mother Language Institute, Liberation War Museum,^[3] Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy,^[4] the Public Works Department, the Bangladesh Department of Architecture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as several tax zones.

Etymology

Segunbagicha is a junction of two Bengali words, Segun (Bengali: সেগুন, romanised: Shegun), meaning teak (Tectona grandis), which is a species of plant native to South and Southeast Asia and Bagicha (Bengali: বাগিচা, romanised: Bagicha), meaning garden. Therefore, the name "Segunbagicha" literally translates to "The Garden of Teak" or "The Garden of Teak Trees". The naming therefore may suggest that this location was once a site of teak trees.

Geography

The coordinates of this area are approximately 23°44′03″N 90°24′28″E / 23.734032°N 90.4076745°E / 23.734032; 90.4076745. To the north of Segunbagicha lies Kakrail of Ramna and to the west lies the Suhrawardy Udyan of Shahbagh Thana and the iconic Ramna Park. Paltan Thana is to the east of Segunbagicha, of which both the Old Paltan and the New Paltan border the area. If the Bangladesh Secretariat area is considered a part of the Segunbagicha neighbourhood, then Segunbagicha also borders the Osmani Uddan to the south. Segunbagicha is located in the south-central part of Dhaka and falls under the jurisdiction of Dhaka South City Corporation and is located in Shahbagh Thana, and formerly in Ramna Thana. The area is a part of Word No. 20 of DSCC. It was previously a part of Ward No. 56. Segunbagicha is within the boundaries of Dhaka-8 constituency of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad.

Notable Institutes

Education

• Ibrahim Medical College
• Segunbagicha High School
• National Academy for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
• Dhaka Law College

Culture

Segunbagicha is home to the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, perhaps the largest cultural centre in the country.

During Bangla New Year, Segunbagicha bustles with vibrant stalls, people with cultural attires and accessories and splashes of various cultural symbols of Bengal floats all across the neighbourhood.

The prime reason for such attraction of crowds during cultural seasons in this neighbourhood is its strategic location. The area sits on and beside the University of Dhaka, the Ramna Park, the Ramna Race Course (officially the Suhrawardy Udyan), the International Mother Language Institute and the Shilpakala Academy.

Transportation

Important roads like Topkhana Road, Moulana Bhasani Road, Segun Bagicha Road, Abdul Ghani Road and the National Eidgah Street run through and around the neighbourhood.

Segunbagicha has a metro station called Bangladesh Secretariat, which lies on MRT Line 6 of Dhaka Metro Rail on the route from Uttara North towards Motijheel. The station building is located near the Bangladesh Secretariat, Press Club and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Gallery

• 
  Skyline of Segunbagicha
• 
  Department of Architecture, HQ
• 
  Road in the Segunbagicha-Kakrail area
• 
  Public Works Department, HQ

References