Nilkhet
Encyclopedia
Nilkhet is a neighbourhood in Dhaka
, the capital city of Bangladesh
. It is sandwiched between Dhaka University to the east, Mirpur Road
and New Market to the west, and Elephant Road
to the north. The name Nilkhet (nil: blue or indigo
, khet: field) implies that the area may have been used for indigo cultivation in earlier times.
However, Nilkhet has a completely different identity today. The market has long been the centre of the second-hand
book trade in Dhaka. It contains several dozen shops that deal in used books and magazines, especially English
-language material published in the West. The Nilkhet book market is regularly patronized by the city's English-language readers, who go there in search of foreign books, journals and comics
that are either unavailable elsewhere or only available new at a prohibitive price.
Because of its proximity to Dhaka university and BUET as well as several major colleges such as Dhaka College
and Eden College, the Nilkhet market has also become a major source of academic material for the city’s students. Textbooks of all levels (from primary to tertiary) and for all disciplines may be purchased at Nilkhet. It also has many shops that provide auxiliary services for students, such as photocopying, word-processing and book-binding. Indeed, “photocopying at Nilkhet” is a common rite of passage for nearly all students of Dhaka University during their undergraduate and postgraduate years.
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, the capital city of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. It is sandwiched between Dhaka University to the east, Mirpur Road
Mirpur Road
Mirpur Road is a long north-south road connecting the northern part of Mirpur and Dhaka University campus. This is one of the major roads in Dhaka. Mirpur road runs through Shyamoli, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi. the main intersections of Mirpur road include Asad Avenue-Mirpur road, Darus-salam...
and New Market to the west, and Elephant Road
Elephant road
New Elephant Road is a business hub of Dhaka city. It is especially well-known for its shops selling Carpet, Floorcoverings, computers, computer accessories, shoes, ceramics, garments, show pieces, and food....
to the north. The name Nilkhet (nil: blue or indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
, khet: field) implies that the area may have been used for indigo cultivation in earlier times.
However, Nilkhet has a completely different identity today. The market has long been the centre of the second-hand
Second-Hand
Second-Hand was a 2005 Romanian film directed by Dan Piţa.-Plot summary:The film's plot surrounds the romantic involvement of two contrasting characters: Petre , a Mafioso, and Andreea , a young violin player. The pair meet and fall in love...
book trade in Dhaka. It contains several dozen shops that deal in used books and magazines, especially English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-language material published in the West. The Nilkhet book market is regularly patronized by the city's English-language readers, who go there in search of foreign books, journals and comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
that are either unavailable elsewhere or only available new at a prohibitive price.
Because of its proximity to Dhaka university and BUET as well as several major colleges such as Dhaka College
Dhaka College
, located in Dhaka, is one of Bangladesh's earliest and most prestigious higher educational institutions. It offers both four years bachelor's and one years masters course in various majors, but it is best known for HSC...
and Eden College, the Nilkhet market has also become a major source of academic material for the city’s students. Textbooks of all levels (from primary to tertiary) and for all disciplines may be purchased at Nilkhet. It also has many shops that provide auxiliary services for students, such as photocopying, word-processing and book-binding. Indeed, “photocopying at Nilkhet” is a common rite of passage for nearly all students of Dhaka University during their undergraduate and postgraduate years.