The Lost Church of Dhaka

Bengal has long been celebrated for its multiculturalism. Over the centuries, merchants and businessmen from different parts of the world came to Bengal. Some failed, whereas some succeeded and settled here for decades, founding and sharing a bond with the locals that added a diverse taste to the history. One such group was Armenians. Though there is no exact record of when the Armenians first came to Dhaka, some historians suggest it was in the early 17th century when they came to Bengal as a part of their migration from Persia. After Safavid rulers conquered Eastern Armenia in the Caucasus, Shah Abbas deported about 40,000 Armenian traders specialised in inter-Euroasiatic trade to Isfahan and New Julfa and then came to Bengal from Isfahan and New Julfa in the wake of Persian adventurers, eventually establishing their own trading community.
Initially they started living in the neighbourhoods of Moulvibazar and Nolgola before moving to Armanitola. And history suggests that between 1833 and 1918, the time considered to be the peak of Armenian presence, when they built different cultural and religious establishments. Among these is the Armenian Church of Resurrection, which was built by the Armenians back in 1781. It is located on Armenia Street in Armanitola.

The church is proof of the influence of the Armenian community that once existed here. It was built by the Armenians who visited the subcontinent during the 17th and 18th centuries. Those who visited at that time were not refugees; rather, they were businessmen. Over time, their influence became so strong that the street and the surrounding area were named after them. After the partition in 1947, most Armenians left Bangladesh, and the count came down to a single family, Father Michael Joseph Martin and his relatives. For the longest time, he took care of the church until he fell sick in 2014 and went to his children in Canada, handing over the position of the warden of the church to Armen Arslanian. Father Martin had encounters with Armen Arslanian when the latter visited Dhaka for business reasons; over time, they grew closer. Since he was the only Armenian the father knew, he entrusted him with the responsibilities of the church.
The church currently holds the label of being a heritage site; however, it has almost no regular visitors. It stands in its previous glory as it was built. The area around the church was initially donated for the graveyard and has tombs that date back centuries. Over the course of time, as a single Armenian Christian lives in the area no longer, no regular prayers take place. The church remains locked most of the time, restricting the entry on the premises. However, the church distributes meals under the banner of the ‘St Martin Food Program’ every Thursday.
The church still holds its beauty in full glory; the graves around the premises have white marble stones with names and small notes engraved on them. Initially, the church had a huge clock tower which contained a bell; however, it got destroyed during an earthquake in 1879. Later, four smaller bells were added to the building. During a conversation, a resident, Shakil, who lives exactly opposite the church, said, “I have seen the church since my childhood. We used to play inside the church, pluck mangoes from the trees and hear the bells ring. However, now that Father Martin is no longer here, it remains closed mostly. And so, the people who recently moved here or locals who live nearby are not much concerned about the church or the importance it truly holds.”
At present, a small team of only four individuals takes care of the church. While visiting the church, I was left awestruck by the place’s simplicity. But my heart was struck with one incident: many locals could not identify such a historic and religious monument in an instant while asking for directions, despite being located on a crowded street with a small gate. The dilapidated walls and benches barely feel the words of the Bible, the core thing it was built to follow.
Even though it is now impossible to perform regular prayers, the place should not just stand as a building at the corner of a street. The government and the locals should work together to preserve the rich history that the Armenians had created over the decades. A place like this holds a timeless importance, making its place a heritage site. Neglecting these places will make us forget the rich historical events and memories that have given us this secular nation; hence, awareness is always better than repair. History is not divided among races or religion; every bit of it is built brick by brick with time. These sites deserve the utmost care and exposure for future generations to learn and grow without any religious hate or discrimination.