Search This Blog

Friday, March 25, 2011

Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban (Parliament House)

Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban (Bengali: জাতীয় সংসদ ভবন Jatio Shôngshod Bhôbon) is the National Assembly Building of Bangladesh, located in the capital Dhaka. It was created by architect Louis I. Kahn and is one of the largest legislative complexes in the world. It houses all parliamentary activities of Bangladesh.

Historical information

There have been nine national elections in Bangladesh. The first and second Parliaments used the Old Shangshad Bhaban, which currently serves as the Prime Minister's Office. Construction of the Jatiya Shangshad Bhaban began in 1961 by the Government of Pakistan as a permanent building for the federal legislature of both West and East Pakistan. However, it was the eighth (and last) session of the second parliament of Bangladesh that first used it on 15 February 1982 after its construction was completed on 28 January of the same year. The Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban has been in operation and has acted as the sole complex used as the National Assembly ever since. Jatiya Shangshad was designed by Louis Kahn. First, Muzharul Islam was given to design Jatiya Shangshad Bhaban by the government. But, Islam brought his teacher Louis Kahn into the project to do a signifant work for future generation. But, Muzharul Islam assisted Kahn at the project.

Data

  • Beginning of construction: 1961
  • Cost of construction and design: Tk. 129 crore or 1.29 billion (=1,290,000,000)
  • Inauguration: 28 January 1982
  • Architect: Louis I. Kahn
  • Total area: 200 acres (800,000 m²)
  • Location: Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • Number of Parliaments: 7 (seven)
  • GIS coordinates: 23.762465°,90.378545°

Architecture and design

Louis Kahn designed the entire Jatiyo Sangsad complex, which includes lawns, lake and residences for the Members of the Parliament (MPs).

Location and basic layout

The enclave, situated in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, is bounded by four major streets:
  • Lake Road to the North;
  • Rokeya Sarani to the East;
  • Manik Mia Avenue to the South; and
  • Mirpur Road to the West.
The main building (the Bhaban) is divided into three parts:
  1. The Main Plaza: 823,000 square feet (76,000 m²)
  2. South Plaza: 223,000 square feet (21,000 m²)
  3. Presidential Plaza: 65,000 square feet (6,000 m²)
The main building is at the center of the complex. The outer parts of the complex include the MP hostel. An intricately designed lake surrounds the main building.

Design philosophy

Kahn's key design philosophy optimizes the use of space while representing Bangladeshi heritage and culture. External lines are deeply recessed by porticoes with huge openings of regular geometric shapes on their exterior, shaping the building's overall visual impact.
In the architect Louis Kahn's own words:

In the assembly I have introduced a light-giving element to the interior of the plan. If you see a series of columns you can say that the choice of columns is a choice in light. The columns as solids frame the spaces of light. Now think of it just in reverse and think that the columns are hollow and much bigger and that their walls can themselves give light, then the voids are rooms, and the column is the maker of light and can take on complex shapes and be the supporter of spaces and give light to spaces. I am working to develop the element to such an extent that it becomes a poetic entity which has its own beauty outside of its place in the composition. In this way it becomes analogous to the solid column I mentioned above as a giver of light.
It was not belief, not design, not pattern, but the essence from which an institution could emerge...

Bangladesh National Museum

The Bangladesh National Museum (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় যাদুঘর), originally established on 20 March 1913, albeit under another name, and formally inaugurated on 7 August 1913, was accorded the status of the national museum of Bangladesh on 17 November 1983. It is located Shahbag, Dhaka. The museum is well organized and displays have been housed in several departments like department of ethnography and decorative art, department of history and classical art, department of natural history, and department of contemporary and world civilization. The museum also has a conservation laboratory.

Ground floor

The ground floor consists of some old guns in the entrance and the hall where the people book their tickets or assemble to hear the history of the museum. The hall leads to a grand staircase. Beside the hall there is a smaller room which also acts like the hall (it is also used by the guides to tell the visitors about the history) and a simple staircase.

1st floor

The 1st floor is divided into 22 rooms.

1st room

The first room consists of a large map showing the map of Bangladesh and the 64 districts.

2nd room

The 2nd room consists of an under going work of a large statue of the Royal Bengal Tiger.

3rd-10th room

These rooms consists of natural beauties found in Bangladesh. In one of the room there is showcase of a tongue of a whale.

10th-22nd room

The other rooms contains some historic relics of Bengal up to 1900. There is a room which shows the different boats used by the rural people.

2nd Floor

The 2nd floor consists of photos of famous people and showcases the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Language Movement of 1952. There are posters used in the war, a torture machine and much more. There are also two libraries.

3rd Floor

The 3rd Floor consists of Pictures of International politicians, artists, scientists, famous pictures and three international galleries- Korean, Iranian and Swiss.

:: Ahsan Manjil, :: Lalbagh Fort, :: Central Shahid Minar

Ahsan Manjil
 
Built in 1872 and standing on the river Buriganga, this stately building offers the visitors a feeling of the life-style of the Nawabs of Dhaka. Sometimes known as the Pink Palace, this building now houses a splendid museum.
Basically, it was the residence of the Nawabs. Nawab Abdul Gani renovated this building in the year 1872 and named it after his son Khaza Ahasanullah.
On the bank of river Buriganga in Dhaka the Pink majestic, Ahsan Manjil has been renovated and turned into a museum recently. It is an epitome of the nation's rich cultural heritage.

Todays renovated Ahsan Manjil a monument of immense historical beauty.

It has 31 rooms with a huge dome atop which can be seen from miles around. It now has 23 galleries in 31 rooms displaying of traits, furniture and household articles and utensils used by the Nawab.

Open
9 am- 5 pm from Saturday to Wednesday and 3-5 pm on Friday. Thursday is close.


Lalbagh Fort
 
The fort of Aurangabad, popularly known as the Lalbagh Fort, was built in 1678 AD by the then Viceroy of Bengal Prince Mohammad Azam, son of the Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb. The fort has a three storied structure with slender minarets at the South Gate. It has many hidden passages and a mosque of massive structure. Outstanding among the monuments of the Lalbagh Fort are the Tomb of Pari Bibi (Fairy lady) and Audience room and Hummam Khana (bathing place) of Nawab Shaista Khan, now housing a museum.

The fort was the scene of bloody battle during the first war of independence (1857) when 260 spays stationed here backed by the people revolted against British forces. It is one of the great historical places of Mughal era. A small museum is there in this fort where you will find the clothes and weapons of the Mughols.

Lalbagh fort is in the old town of
Dhaka at Lalbagh. It is open 10 am-5 pm Sunday to Friday & Saturday is closed.
The capital city Dhaka predominantly was a city of the Mughals. In hundred years of their vigorous rule successive Governors and princely Viceroys who ruled the province, adorned it with many noble monuments in the shape of magnificent places, mosques, tombs, fortifications and 'Katras' often surrounded with beautifully laid out gardens and pavilions. Among these, few have survived the ravages of time, aggressive tropical climate of the land and vandal hands of man.

But the finest specimen of this period is the Aurangabad Fort [commonly known as Lalbagh Fort], which indeed represents the unfulfilled dream of a Mughal Prince. It occupies the southwestern part of the old city, overlooking the Buriganga on whose northern bank it stands as a silent sentinel of the old city. Rectangular in plan, it encloses an area of 1082' by 800' and in addition to its graceful lofty gateways on southeast and northeast corners and a subsidiary small unpretentious gateway on north, it also contains within its fortified perimeter a number of splendid monuments, surrounded by attractive garden. These are a small 3-domed mosque, the mausoleum of Bibi Pari the reputed daughter of Nawab Shaista Khan and the Hammam and Audience Hall of the Governor. The main purpose of this fort was to provide a defensive enclosure of the palatial edifices of the interior and as such was a type of palace-fortress rather than a siege fort.  


Central Shahid Minar

Symbol of Bengali nationalism. This monument was built to commemorate the martyrs of the historic Language movement of 1952. Hundreds and thousands of people with floral wreaths and bouquet gather on 21 February every year to pay respect in a solemn atmosphere.