Bhitargarh (ভিতরগড়)

Bhitargarh lies in Amarkhana Union of Panchagarh Sadar Upazila, in the far north of Bangladesh. It is the archaeological site of a fort city built in and around the 5th century AD. The remains spread over about 25 square kilometres, and the walled outline is large enough to be seen in satellite images.

A trading city on the Karatoya

The city grew at a crossing of trade routes between Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and the Ganges valley, and it formed a stop on the southwest Silk Road toward Yunnan. Its place near the Karatoya River helped this trade. At its height the city stretched about 5 by 3 kilometres, and its builders rerouted the Talma River.

King Prithu, the Maharaja Dighi legend and later conquests

Local tradition links Bhitargarh to King Prithu, remembered as Prithu Raja. A legend says he and his army took their own lives at the Maharaja Dighi to avoid capture by invaders of the Kichok tribe. The city later passed to the Bengal Sultanate in 1498 under Alauddin Husain Shah, then to the Khen and Koch kingdoms, and remained a trading hub until Mughal forces under Mir Jumla II took it in the 17th century.

Ramparts, moats and brick foundations among tea gardens

Today visitors see earthen ramparts, moats and excavated brick foundations among villages and tea gardens. The Maharaja Dighi, a large old tank with brick ghats, is the most visited spot and a pleasant place to sit. Excavations by Bangladeshi archaeologists have uncovered structures and objects from the site over recent years.

The site is open countryside with no formal ticket. Bring water and sun protection, and hire local transport from Panchagarh town, as the remains are spread out.