The history of Armenians in Dhaka

In early 18th century the Armenians started gaining prominence in business in Dhaka. They were mostly successful in Jute and textile business. Some of them also traded in leather and salt.

A few of them after amassing money in business invested in land too and became Zaminders of repute. Sarkies & Sons, David & Co., etc. are examples of successful jute traders. In the 19th century their superiority was surpassed by better orgainsed British firms and they slowly had to withdraw from serious jute business. Still later Marwaris from Rajasthan also excelled in Jute and there were very few Armenians left in this trade.

As we know, the last Bangladeshi Armenian who used to bear the torch of his ancestry Mr. Martin (Mikhail Housep Martirossian) who expired just on 10th April 2020 and to whose memory I want to dedicate this piece also traded in Jute some time in his early life.

Once their prominence was lost in business a few of the wealthy Armenians still continued as Zaminders and some other sectors of Business. Some of them rose to prominence in different fields and some of them even held Public offices like in Dhaka Municipality.

It will not be out of place to mention about a few of the important and prominent Armenians established in Dhaka. Mr. Manuk was one of them. He was a businessman and wealthy Zaminder. Apart from his elaborately designed residential building in Armanitola, he had a Bagan Bari (farm house or pleasure house, with a well planned garden) in Dilkusha area which he later sold to the Dhaka Nawab Family.

Later it was acquisitioned as the official residence cum office of the Viceroy of India and still later used by the Governor of the new Province of East Bengal and Assam. Finally with many additions it has become what is palatial Bangabhaban today. It is an example of fine Islamic Architecture now.

We can mention another Armenian businessman Stephen Aratoon who constructed the famous Ruplal House on the bank of Buriganga. In the beginning of the 20th Century it boasted competing in architectural beauty and aristocracy with famous Ahsan Manzil, the abode of Dhaka Nawabs. Later Aratoon sold it to a Bengali wealthy merchant Ruplal Das.

The name of Mr Joachim Pogose also deserves a mention. He was a business person cum educationist. The famous Pogose School in Armanitola was established as the first private school in Dhaka in the year 1884 and he was the founder Headmaster of the School. Thankfully the school still exist and is spreading education. But Mr. Pogose's Palatial 2 story elegantly built residence in Armanitola was not so lucky. Despite being a heritage building and ignoring requests/persuasions/demands by archaeological /environmental activists it was pulled down to construct a multistoried building by the present occupant. The Wiseghat main building of Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts was also owned by this eminent Armenian.

From the foregoing we can conceive how influential the Armenians were and what contribution they had in the field of trade and commerce in Bengal and also in Dhaka life. Most notable amongst them over the years had been Khojah Phanoos (who arrived at the previously mentioned agreement with British East India Company), Khojah Israel, Khojah Petruse Nicholas, Khojah Wajid, Khojah Gregory, all of whom had been close associates of the Nawabs of Bengal and had tremendous influence on their decision making about business and at times they were vakils or negotiators for the Nawabs at the Moghul Court or with other Europeans.

Their background being New Julfa in Parsia, they were fluent in Persian, the court language those days, which gave them an edge over other Europeans.  In Dhaka, Manuk, Aratoon, David, Sarkies, Stephen, Shircare, Pogose families and last but not the least Martin family were most notable and left a mark in the business and social life of those days.  The Armenians were dealing in Jute, Leather, Salt, Textile exports and shipping. They dealt in other miscellaneous businesses and at some point of time in East Bengal out of most important 6 European Zaminders, 5 were Armenians.

Towards the end of 19th century, specially after 1857 when Indian Empire was taken over from the East India Company Rule by the British Crown, slowly British business houses started spreading their influence in all fields. Other European businessmen, Armenians included, started loosing their grounds. Till the first half of the 20th Century their presence could still be felt but slow migration to more developed countries like Australia, Canada and USA began. This exodus continued and by the early days of Bangladesh the vibration was no more felt.

Now let us put some light on the age old Armenian Church of Holy Resurrection. When Chairman of the Church Committee Mr. Joseph Stephen expired, the responsibility of looking after the Church fell on Stephen Nahapiet who was an Engineer in a jute baling plant in Narayangonj. At some point of time Nahapiet lost interest in active profession and Dhaka life. He hired some locals for looking after the Church and its properties.

These people took full advantage of that. The Church was not at all looked after since there were no worshippers. No masses were held. Slowly, all luster was gone. Tombstones in the blessed graveyard were semi dilapidated. Grass and other overgrowths covered the whole campus. Church paintings were almost faded. Its properties given on rent without proper permission and authority. Sewage water swept inside the campus and sometimes up to the Altar. In short, the caretakers took full advantage of being so, to their personal benefit.

Here comes Michael Housep Martirrosian (Michael Joseph Martin), the last living Armenian in Dhaka to the picture. He became the torch bearer of the rich Armenian Heritage in our country. He was born in Yangon in 1930 and received his first schooling there. During the WW2 he was sent to Kolkata by his father for safety against impending Japanese invasion. Martin continued his studies in the Armenian College of Kolkata and started his career. In his multi dimensional career he worked for his family business first.

Then worked for some British Company to learn business and finally launched his own business in Khulna and Dhaka and tried his hand in shipping, Jute and Restaurant business among others. He was happily married and has three daughters all of whom are married and have migrated to Canada long since. His wife was a teacher pursuing her career in Kolkata.

Kolkata still has some Armenian presence and both Kolkata and Chuchura Armenian Churches are still functioning. When the information of the plundering of Dhaka Armenian Church's properties and the poor condition of the once thriving place of worship reached Kolkata, the Warden there had a talk with Mrs. Martin and eventually Mr. Martin was approached to take over the challenge of establishing order and control.

It was in 1986 he decided to take responsibility. He had to fight a long battle against the caretaker, his local tout associates and the so called tenants of church properties. The protracted battle even led to law suits at times. Threatening to him and family was very regular. But nothing could deter him. Finally he could achieve what once seemed impossible.

The Church was restored to its former self as a piece of beauty. All tombstones repaired with due solemnity, the Personage and staff quarters given proper attention, markets constructed in the church's property in Armanitola Road to generate funds for maintenance. Services on Christmas, Easter, on certain Sundays and special occasions started to be performed. It became a church in true sense again.

Mr. Martin was the last surviving Armenian in Dhaka and he looked after the church till 2014. In the meantime his loving wife expired and his three daughters and their families wanted him to come settle in Canada where they lived. Towards the end of his supervision he used to divide his time between Dhaka (in looking after the church) and Canada (spending time with grand children) until a new Warden Mr. Armen Arslanian was appointed. Mr. Arslanian is a competent man who has business interest in Bangladesh. After 2014 when Mr. Martin suffered a stroke and was no more able to continue, at his insistence Mr. Armen took over as the Warden.

He visits Bangladesh frequently for his business and keeps in close touch with the church and monitors its activities. He also tries to keep in touch with the Armenian Diaspora spread all over the world and draw their attention to the Armenian Heritage that keeps lying here which may get buried if they did not take interest. He himself is an Argentinean whose family took refuge there after the Armenian Genocide carried out by Turkey in 1915 in which 1.5 million Armenians perished.

But The Armenians that came to Dhaka, Bengal and for that matter India were not refugees. They were fortune seeking intelligent business people who developed themselves and got integrated with the land and developed it where they themselves too prospered.

I am nearing the end of my long story. I am sorry that I have to disclose to you that the last Armenian of Dhaka Mr. Martin is no more with us. He breathed his last on 10th April, 2020 in Canada amongst his daughters, grand children, friends and relatives.

The Almighty has called him for greater services. He will no more lead an Armenian Orthodox Apostolic Service in the Church of Holy Resurrection in Dhaka. But the Church will be there and there will be services by any faith, as is the wish of the present Warden. Like the last Christmas mass was organised there by the Church of Bangladesh led by Bishop Simpson Mozumder and attended by a full house of Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, even people from other religion.

Having such a rich heritage, this Church demands to be included in the list of World Heritage of UNESCO. Let us raise our voice to this effect. Hope, Bangladesh Ministry of Culture, Armenian Orthodox Church Authorities in Yerevan, the Warden of the Church Mr. Armen, the Managing Committee of the Church, all agree on this point and work relentlessly on this.

Finally I have one more point to make. The Armenians faced a Genocide in the hands of Turkey in 1915 and we faced same in 1971 in the hands of Pakistanis. Both Turkey and Pakistan denies any involvement in such Genocide. None of us could yet get recognition of the Genocides from the UN or World Community. We should keep fighting for same. (Concluded)

References: 

  
Wikipedia

Mr. Martin

Mr. Joseph Jude Edwards (Mr. Martin's nephew and my friend. This interesting gentleman was born in Chittagong and is a Canadian citizen now. He has Jewish and Portuguese ancestry and relationship with Armenians).    

The writer is a history analyst and researcher in culture