Centuries-old 'chinaware' mosque draws tourists worldwide

NILPHAMARI, Bangladesh－Located about 360 kilometers northwest of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, Chini Masjid is a unique piece of architecture that has drawn crowds of tourists for centuries.

The beautiful masjid embodies the standard architectural style of buildings associated with Islamic tradition. What makes Chini Masjid special is the 25 metric tons of small chips of chinaware plates and pieces of glass that adorn its walls. Nearly 300 pieces of cross marble stones were also used to decorate the mosque, making it one of the most fascinating and distinctive architectures in Bangladesh.

So resplendent were the marvelous china ceramic and stone pieces that the place of worship soon attracted visitors from far and wide.

Hafez Muhammad Arif Reza is Chini Masjid's muezzin, who proclaims the call to daily prayer five times a day. He said the mosque was built in 1863 by Haji Bakir Ali Ahmed as a little prayer room. Descendants of Ahmed extended and modified the masjid, beautifying it with decorative Chinese ceramics brought from Kolkata, India. "The people built the mosque gradually with their own contributions," Reza said.

The mosque is divided into three parts－one part built during the British period, one during the Pakistan period and the most recent in modern Bangladesh. It has not been renovated since its establishment.

"Many tourists from home and abroad now come to visit our mosque," he said.

Rahimul Haque Afrat, a student at North South University in Dhaka came to Nilphamari district with friends, just to see the masjid.

"We're fascinated by the artistry. This type of architecture is not seen much in Bangladesh, it would fascinate anyone," Afrat said. "My friends and I were very impressed. We love it."

Xinhua