Balia Mosque Is One of The Distinguished Archaeological Landmarks in Thakurgaon

Ancient monuments are a testament to the lost cultures of civilizations over time.

People from various regions naturally leave behind some traces of their existence.

These artifacts reveal the thoughts, beliefs, ideas, and manner of existence of the people who once inhabited this land. It allows us to understand the type of housing, work methods, construction materials, culture, political life, and lifestyle of the people who lived there at that time.

Therefore, archaeology plays an indispensable role in reconstructing the continuous ancient history of a particular group of people in a specific region. Thakurgaon district is located in the northern part of the Barind region.  The archaeological relics of this area undergo witness to the glorious history of the district. One of the most notable archaeological sites in Thakurgaon district is the Balia Jame Mosque, which is locally known as the 'Jinna Mosque'. Construction of this mosque started  in 1860 and it is located in Balia village of Bhulli Upazila in Thakurgaon district. The mosque is designed according to the concepts of Mughal architecture. The mosque is situated located on a platform that is 5 feet 3 inches high from the flat ground, the rectangular complex mosque, measuring 62 feet 6 inches from east to west and 69 feet 2 inches from north to south, is situated.

The entire mosque, including its foundation, is constructed with lime mortar and hand-made bricks. The rectangular complex is divided into three parts: a staircase entrance, an open courtyard, and the main building or prayer hall. The main building is located on a 25 feet 11 inches wide platform running east to west. The mosque stands at a height of 7 feet 17 inches and has three domes and minarets of the same size on its roof. Although there are no decorations on the bricks of the mosque, various designs such as vases, bells, dishes, amlaki fruits, and lotuses have been created by cutting the bricks in different places on the mosque's walls. The main gate of the mosque is 21 feet long and 9 feet wide. This grant entrance is one of main the attractions of the mosque.

Although construction of the mosque began around 1860, it was halted for quite some time after its founder, Meher Bux Chowdhury, passed away in 1905.Afterwards, Meher Bux's younger brother started the reconstruction of the mosque. However, he passed away before the work was completed. Later, it remained hidden in the jungle for a long time.In 2005, under the patronage of Meher Box Chowdhury's great-granddaughter Tasrifa Khatun and with the technical assistance of the Archaeological Institute, the reconstruction work began again, and it was completed in 2010.


Farzana Haque, MPhil is
Lecturer in Rotnai Boglabari
School and College, Thakurgaon.
She can be reached at [email protected]