Ahsan Manzil (Bengali: আহসান মঞ্জিল) was the official residential palace and seat of the Dhaka Nawab Family. Ahsan Manzil is located on the banks of the river Buriganga in the Kumartuli area of Islampur in old Dhaka. It was formerly the residential palace of the Nawabs of Dhaka and the Sadar Kachari of the zamindari. It is currently being used as a museum. It was founded by Nawab Abdul Gani. He named it after his son Khwaja Ahsanullah. A meeting held here in 1906 decided to establish a Muslim League. Ahsan Manzil has been renovated several times. The latest reforms have been made very recently. It is now a museum run by the Bangladesh National Museum.
In the middle of the eighteenth century, Sheikh Enayetullah Ahsan, the zamindar of Jamalpur 24 Parganas, built a recreation building called Rangmahal on the present site of the manzil. Later, his son Sheikh Matiullah sold the Rangmahal to French merchants. It has long been known as a trading post. Later, in 1830, Khwaja Alimullah, the father of Nawab Abdul Ghani, who lived in Begum Bazar, bought it and started living there. At the center of this residence was a master plan drawn up by Khwaja Abdul Gani Martin&Company, a European construction and engineering company, whose main building was Ahsan Manzil. Nawab Abdul Gani started the construction of the palace in 1759 and completed it in 182. He named it 'Ahsan Manzil' after his beloved son Khwaja Ahsanullah. At that time the newly built palace building was known as Rangmahal and the old building was known as Andarmahal.
The whole of Ahsan Manzil was severely damaged by a strong earthquake on 6 April 18. The existing high dome was added during the reconstruction of the damaged Ahsan Manzil. High quality bricks were brought from Raniganj for reconstruction and repair. Engineer Govinda Chandra Roy conducted the repair work.At that time, Dhaka city did not have such a magnificent building as Ahsan Manzil. The dome above its palace was one of the highest peaks in the city, attracting attention from afar.
When the earthquake hit Dhaka on 12 June 1897, the Ahsan Manzil was severely damaged. The Nahabat Khana adjacent to Islampur Road along the south verandah of Ahsan Manzil completely collapsed. Later Nawab Ahsanullah rebuilt it. In 1952, the Dhaka Nawab Estate was acquired by the government under the Zamindari Eviction Act. But the residential buildings of the Nawabs, the Ahsan Manzil and the garden houses are out of acquisition. The maintenance of Ahsan Manzil became difficult due to lack of funds and the influence of the Nawab family. In the 1960s, members of the Nawab's family bought valuables at auction.
In the middle of the eighteenth century, Sheikh Enayetullah Ahsan, the zamindar of Jamalpur 24 Parganas, built a recreation building called Rangmahal on the present site of the manzil. Later, his son Sheikh Matiullah sold the Rangmahal to French merchants. It has long been known as a trading post. Later, in 1830, Khwaja Alimullah, the father of Nawab Abdul Ghani, who lived in Begum Bazar, bought it and started living there. At the center of this residence was a master plan drawn up by Khwaja Abdul Gani Martin&Company, a European construction and engineering company, whose main building was Ahsan Manzil. Nawab Abdul Gani started the construction of the palace in 1759 and completed it in 182. He named it 'Ahsan Manzil' after his beloved son Khwaja Ahsanullah. At that time the newly built palace building was known as Rangmahal and the old building was known as Andarmahal.
The whole of Ahsan Manzil was severely damaged by a strong earthquake on 6 April 18. The existing high dome was added during the reconstruction of the damaged Ahsan Manzil. High quality bricks were brought from Raniganj for reconstruction and repair. Engineer Govinda Chandra Roy conducted the repair work.At that time, Dhaka city did not have such a magnificent building as Ahsan Manzil. The dome above its palace was one of the highest peaks in the city, attracting attention from afar.
When the earthquake hit Dhaka on 12 June 1897, the Ahsan Manzil was severely damaged. The Nahabat Khana adjacent to Islampur Road along the south verandah of Ahsan Manzil completely collapsed. Later Nawab Ahsanullah rebuilt it. In 1952, the Dhaka Nawab Estate was acquired by the government under the Zamindari Eviction Act. But the residential buildings of the Nawabs, the Ahsan Manzil and the garden houses are out of acquisition. The maintenance of Ahsan Manzil became difficult due to lack of funds and the influence of the Nawab family. In the 1960s, members of the Nawab's family bought valuables at auction.
