Bagerhat is the historic mosque city of Bangladesh, a place where the 15th century feels like it never quite left. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and rightly so. The district was carved out of the mangrove swamp by the warrior saint Khan Jahan Ali. His legacy is imprinted on every brick of this district. The Sixty Dome Mosque, or Shat Gombuj Masjid, is the architectural masterpiece here. Despite the name, it actually has more than sixty domes (it has 81 including the corner towers). Walking through its stone columns, with the light filtering in from the arched doorways, creates a spiritual atmosphere that is heavy with history. It is built in the Tughlaq style, thick and fortress-like, designed to survive the harsh saline climate. It is hauntingly beautiful, especially at sunset when the terracotta turns a deep orange.
Beyond the mosque, there is the shrine or Mazar of Khan Jahan Ali. It sits next to a massive dighi (pond) known as the Thakur Dighi. This pond is famous for its crocodiles. Legends say the original pair, Kalapahar and Dholapahar, were pets of the saint. Today, their descendants still live there, and caretakers call them by name to come and eat chickens offered by devotees. It is a surreal sight to see a massive marsh crocodile slide onto the ghat steps while people stand just feet away. The district is not just about history, though. It is the capital of the 'White Gold' or shrimp industry. As you drive through Bagerhat, you will notice that rice paddies are rare. Instead, the land is a patchwork of 'Ghers' or shrimp enclosures. The water is saline, and the economy relies heavily on the export of Bagda and Golda shrimp.
The Mongla Port, the second largest seaport in the country, is also located here. It is the economic lung of the region, handling cars, machinery, and food imports. The road to Mongla crosses the Rampal Power Plant, a massive energy project that dominates the skyline. Bagerhat is a district of struggle. The people fight against salinity that eats their soil and cyclones that batter their homes, yet they live amidst some of the most beautiful medieval architecture in South Asia. It is a place where faith and nature are locked in a permanent embrace.