In 1781 the now famous Armenian Church was built on Armenian Street in Armanitola, then a thriving business district. The church bears testimony to the existence of a significant Armenian community in the region in the 17th and 18th centuries.In Dhaka, Armenian merchants traded in jute and leather, and profitability in these businesses convinced some to move permanently to Bangladesh. The area where they lived became known as Armanitola. Mother Teresa stayed in the church compound during a 1996 visit to Dhaka.
It was a subject of BBC and AFP documentaries before it was declared as a religious and historical heritage by the government of Bangladesh and put under supervision of the Department of Archaeology, Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh that has taken measures to restore and safeguard the cultural heritage. Government of Armenia has shown interest to cooperate in the effort of the Bangladesh government. Now the site is open during daytime for the visitors
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