Ahsan Manzil

Ahsan Manzil ( Ahsan Manzil ) is located on the banks of Buriganga river in Islampur of old Dhaka. Dhaka's hundred years old history is connected with Ahsan Manzil. Ahsan Manzil is considered as one of the best architecture among the old structures of Dhaka. This palace, which contains many memorabilia of the Nawab family, is currently being managed as a museum.

Ahsan Manjil is a rich school surviving on the amalgamation of the glorious history and Nawabi tradition of Bengal. In the mid-eighteenth century, the zamindar Sheikh Inayet Ullah Ahsan built a palace called Rangmahal at the present site of Manzil. Later his son Sheikh Matiullah sold the palace to French merchants. Khwaja Alimullah, father of Nawab Abdul Ghani, bought it in 1830. In 1859, Nawab Abdul Ghani started building a palace there. It took 13 long years to build the palace. He named it 'Ahsan Manzil' after his beloved son Khwaja Ahsanullah.

Once the highest dome of Dhaka city was the beautiful dome on the roof of Ahsan Manzil Palace. The balcony and floor of this two-storied building are made of marble stone. Inside the palace are dining rooms, libraries, aqueducts, durbar halls and billiards. And on the second floor of the palace there are guest rooms, meeting rooms, dance rooms, libraries and other living rooms. On the north and south sides of the palace there is a single storey high car porch. An open staircase leads down to the front garden from the second floor balcony on the south side. Right in front of the Prasad there are beautiful flower gardens and green fields.

Ahsan Manzil is considered to be the first brick and stone architectural monument of Dhaka city. And in the hands of the then Nawabs, the first electric light was lit in this building. Ahsan Manzil's architectural style attracts westerners equally, there is evidence that Lord Curzon actually lived in this building in Dhaka. This palace was a major political center of Bengal for about 100 years from the middle of the 19th century. It was decided to establish the Muslim League in a meeting held here in 1906 AD.

After the independence of Bangladesh, the descendants of the Nawab family planned to sell Ahsan Manzil at auction. Realizing the political and historical importance of the building, then Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman canceled the decision to sell it at auction and ordered the establishment of a museum and tourist center here. After many renovations, beautifications, refinements, Ahsan Manzil Museum was opened for visiting in 1992.

The biggest attraction of the Ahsan Manzil tour is the collection of the museum. A total of 4 thousand 77 artifacts are open for exhibition in 23 rooms of Ahsan Manzil. The nine rooms are arranged as they were during the Nawabi period. Each room will take you to the history of Nawabi period.

History of Ahsan Manzil, introduction and genealogy of Nawabs are on display in the museum. Large mirrors, large iron chests, wooden cupboards, dining rooms, drawing rooms, glass and porcelain dishes, skeletons of elephant heads, shields and swords used by the Nawabs. A variety of Nawab era ornate silver, crystal chairs-tables, thrones, various types of oil paintings, vases, Hindustani rooms, royal guest bedrooms and dance halls. There are also portraits of contemporary famous people and signs of various social service works of Nawabs.

General visitors have to collect an entry ticket of Tk 20 per person to visit Ahsan Manzil. Minor children below 12 years can enter at Tk 10 per person. 300 for citizens of SAARC countries and 500 for citizens of other countries. No tickets are required at Ahsan Manzil for disabled visitors. And students can also visit Ahsan Manzil Museum for free if they apply in advance.

Get Ahsan Manzil Entrance Ticket online from this website: www.ahsanmanzilticket.gov.bd

Ahsan Manzil is open for visitors on these five days from Saturday to Wednesday from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Ahsan Manzil can be visited every Friday from 3 pm to 8 pm. Ahsan Manzil Museum is completely closed on every Thursday and other public holidays.

Board any bus bound for Sadarghat in Dhaka and get off in front of Victoria Park near Jagannath University . From there you can go to Ahsan Manzil on foot or by rickshaw fare of Tk 30. Or you can come to Gulistan from anywhere in Dhaka by rickshaw or CNG and visit Ahsan Manzil via Sadarghat. Or you can go to Ahsan Manzil by rickshaw before Babubazar Bridge via Nayabazar Junction along the North South Road of Gulistan. Besides, Ahsan Manzil can come directly from any place in Dhaka by CNG.

Apart from visiting Ahsan Manzil, you can also visit some other famous places of Old Dhaka nearby. Notable among them are Lalbagh Fort , Tara Mosque , Armenian Church, Hosseini Dalan, Bahadur Shah Park (Victoria Park) and Sadarghat Launch Ghat. And for food, there are the famous food hotels of old Dhaka.