In about 600 AD, a Hindu king built Ekdala Fort, about 5 km long and 2 km wide, on the west side of the Shitalakshya and Brahmaputra rivers, about 10 km from Kapasia upazila of Gazipur. In 1352, Ilyas Shah renovated the fort to protect it from a possible attack by Sultan Firoz Tughlaq of Delhi. Sultan Feroze Tughlaq of Delhi attacked Ekdala fort twice in 1353 and 1358 AD but could not capture it.
Later, Nasir Uddin Shah, son of Alauddin Hussain Shah, renovated the fort between 1517 and 1532. During the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar, King Todarmal incorporated this region into the Bhawal Pargana, but the fort was gradually abandoned. Dwar-i Dariya (Dardariya) fort, situated on the banks of Kali Banar river in Rayed union, was used as a branch fort of Ekdala fort.
How to go?
There are numerous bus services from different parts of Dhaka city to Gazipur crossroads. There are various buses going to Kapasia Upazila from Gazipur crossroads. From Kapasia Upazila Sadar, you can take local transport like CNG, rickshaw or easybike to Ekdala fort located on the bank of Shitalaksha river near Taraganj market.
Where to stay
Kapasia has several interesting resorts. Among them Sarah Resort, Nakshatrabari Resort, Jaleshwari Resort, Rangbasanti Resort, Saheb Bari Resort, Rajendra Eco Resort, Bhawal Resort are some of them. If you want, you can leave Dhaka in the morning and see Ekdala fort and come back effortlessly in the evening.
