Post on 05-Apr-2018
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
1/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 85
I had left Dhaka in 1969 and visited it only a few times since. It was fullten years before I visited Dhaka and then another 5 years had passed for a return
visit. I came few more times recently and this year my wife wants me to visit
Dhaka again to see her father. He is not doing well and may not live long. I plan
the trip to take advantage of stop-over in Singapore and Tokyo to see some
architectural landmarks. While I am busy compiling a list of buildings to see in
Tokyo, a retired professor arrives to give me something to take for his relatives in
Dhaka. He had planned all along to see all the continents after he retires and is
now on his last continent. He is always curious about travel and wants to know if
there are buildings in Dhaka I may be planning to see.I really have no such plan or knowledge of how to go about seeing
buildings in Dhaka. Each time I have been there, it has become progressively
difficult to see anything or visit anyone. Traffic jams, pollution and lack of public
transportation make it almost impossible to get anything done. I had seen a book
on architecture in Bangladesh that showcased many of the buildings that were
erected during the late 80s. What struck me was the bad quality of the pictures
accompanying the texts. The writer was more interested in showing the size of the
building than the quality of architecture. Another surprising aspect was the
attribution of most of the buildings to one individual who was the head of the
Public Works Department. The usual procedure would have to acknowledge all
the key individuals who contributed their time and talent on the project. The
pictures would have been better taken in dawn or twilight time to draw attention
to the structure and not the surrounding chaos and pollution. The professor insists
on getting help from an architect he knows in Dhaka who may be able to show me
some worthwhile buildings. He would call this architect and have him contact mein Dhaka to show me around. I am happy about the offer and thank him for his
help. This may be my only chance to visit and photograph some of these
buildings.
By next week I am in Dhaka after a short stay in Singapore. The local
architect calls and is willing to come over and escort me to some building sites. I
ask him to come any day before around 6am when the sunlight is perfect for
photography and the pollution is low. He agrees and promises to come by
someday this week after a crisis in his office has been settled. While I am busy
struggling with water-shortage, power shortage and extreme heat and humidity,
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
2/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 86
there is no sign of him. I start to realize the futility of hoping for someone to wake
up at dawn and come over before noon. Life is much slower and I need to expect
less. My wife had a much more realistic expectation of getting some outfitstailored for her using cheap and abundant labor. She has a tailor in mind on Road
No. 5.
We are out of the house the next morning to buy some fabric and find the
tailor-shop. I remember my class-friend from college and architecture school, Ali
Imam used to live on Road No. 5 too. Maybe I can find his house and ask him to
show me around some worthwhile buildings in Dhaka. He was an extremely
talented designer and worked at the Public Works Department all his life. He was
one of a handful of friends at my wedding and he would remember my wife.
After we find the shop and leave a heave of fabric to tailor, I look for Ali
Imams house and find the house. It is easy to find because of its unique
architectural features. It has Ali Imam written all over it. Ali Imam is happy to see
us and even at 10 am, it is too early for him to expect visitors. He is retired now
and is fond of sleeping late and waking up late. He used to exercise body-build
and remind us the virtues of early to bed and early to rise habit. He has taken it
easy now and set up a studio on the top floor to do paintings.I ask his help in seeing some architectural projects in Dhaka. He knows
most of the worthwhile buildings in Dhaka and offers to take us for a drive. He
gets dressed and drives around Dhanmondi to show us some new buildings of
architectural importance. While he is driving, he offers commentary on each
passing building. He takes us to the national Parliament for photo opportunity. My
wife and I had spent our honeymoon here in 1980 before the parliament was
completed. It is nice to see the complex again. Ali Imam wants to take us to see
the Vashani Novo Theater next. He spent a good part of life working on that
project.
When we get there, we realize it was the only day of the week it is closed.
Ali Imam knows the director and the other people in charge of the facilities and
arranges a tour of the facilities. It turns out to be better for us to arrive on a day
when it is not open to public. We have access to all the parts of the building. Ali
Imam explains the trials and tabulations of designing such a complex building on
a prime location next to the parliament complex. He was fortunate enough tohave a technical program that gave him a free hand in shaping the building around
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
3/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 87
the functions inside. He was able to design it in expressive modern vocabulary
without having to succumb to regional or local overtones.
The plaza outside has a grand fountain but the equipment is being
repaired. There is a grand parking structure underground but it is damp and
smelly. The lobby is massive with multi-story volumes. There is water
penetration thru the walls at various locations. Ali Imam explains how the offer
from Russia to display a space module in the lobby was never followed thru. The
lobby functions as a place to hold science fairs and exhibitions. It is popular with
aspiring science students. The crown jewel of the complex is the planetariumitself. Strict guidelines for layout of the space, slope of the floor and perfect
spherical ceiling had to be followed. He had considered cast-in place concrete for
the roof but opted instead for a more flexible modular space frame system. The
projectors were imported from Japan and it is still being managed by the supplier
to ensure proper operation. Ali Imam assured us that it functions great and we
should come by to tomorrow to enjoy a show. He gets us the directors phone
numbers to call to assure tickets.
On the way home, Ali Imam laments at the heartbreaking bouts of budget
cuts, government and internal office politics during the long and tedious years on
this project. He was proud of his other project, the renovation of Ahsan Manzil on
which he spent the other half his career. I had seen him working on that project in
mid-80 when I visited him at PWD. I saw him making a scale drawing of the
main entrance door to that building. Ali Imam explains the hardship of that job
over a decade. On his first visit to the site, the squatters in the building had told
him to not dare come back if he wanted to live. They threatened to bomb him ifthey found him again on the site. Aided by police escort and army sweep to clear
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
4/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 88
out the squatters, he had to spend the next 10 years recreating lost details and
putting back pieces of a puzzle with care and resolve. It was labor of love for him
and he offered to take us there for a tour but he was not sure if could drive thru thenarrow alleyways. He might have driver available and if that happens, he would
call and let us know when we are going.
I have a tourist book with me and it lists the Ahsan Manzil as one of the
most important buildings to visit. It is listed as a museum but does not say which
days it is open. I ask my brother-in-law to call someone and find out if it is open
tomorrow. He does not know who to call or where to get this vital information. If
I could go with Ali Imam, he might be able to arrange a visit of the premises even
if the museum is closed. I call Ali Imam and even he does not know the days and
times the museum is open. He tells me to wait till tomorrow morning and see if he
can arrange for a driver to take us there. I am inclined to take a chance on visiting
the museum rather than staying in the humid, hot and power disrupted house.
I am up at 7am the next morning and walk to the neighborhood grocery
store to get bread, butter and jelly for breakfast. We had made arrangements with
the security guard living under the stairs to fetch breakfast items but he in never
up this early. He is getting paid for around the clock watch but is not around whenI need him most. After making and eating breakfast, I call Ali Imam at 8am to see
if he is coming. He sounds annoyed at being woken up so early and tells me that
the driver is not available today. He is not willing to risk driving his car into the
narrow alleys of old town. I ask my brother-in-law to send the security guard to
fetch a car, baby-taxi or rickshaw before it becomes rush hour. After about half an
hour they are not able to find anyone willing to go there at any cost. I am all
dressed up and got my thousand dollar Nikon camera with auto-zoom lens ready.
Seeing my dilemma, my brother-in-law calls his nephew who works nearby to see
if his car is available to take me to Ahsan Manzil.
I am in luck. He has already arrived at the office and agrees to let his
driver pick me up at the house and be at my disposal all day. He warns me that
the car may need CNG refilling before the day is over and I could let the driver
purchase CNG while I am visiting the museum. The driver arrives at half past
nine and I urge the driver to head towards the old town before rush hour. The
driver has a vague idea of where the museum is and I show him the map in mybook so that he can figure out the best route to take. Before I know it, he manages
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
5/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 89
to hit each and every traffic jam along the way. He has moved only 3miles in one
hour. By half past ten, we are in front of Gulistan Cinema entering the old town.
According the map, the North-South road would have taken us directly to the riverbanks near the museum. I used to walk from Gulistan to Shadarghat during my
childhood long before the North-South road existed. It used to be a nice walk thru
the narrow streets. Now the road has been widened and more traffic, more
businesses have sprung up along the way. Ideally, it would make a lot more sense
to turn these into one-way streets but with buses, trucks, carts, rickshaws, horse-
drawn wagons, pedestrians going in every which direction, the end result is delay.
By the time the car makes it to Bahadur Shah Park, the driver has to get directions
from the traffic police. The sight of Star Theater and Jagannath College along the
way brings lots of fond memories of childhood visits. Things are much more
crowded and lot more confusing. There are no visual clues or landmarks to guide
us. Most buildings are mid-rise with signs, placards, shops, and restaurants an
amalgamation of sameness.
Fighting the onslaught of traffic, we finally turn right towards the
museum, according to my map, it should be just around the corner but it is not
until we are right in front of it that I get a glimpse of the pink building betweenthe frames of the two towering structures. On the right is multi-story shopping
complex still under construction. On the left is another commercial structure of
hideous proportions. There is no plaza or view corridor preserved in front of the
museum to afford an inviting view of the building. There are power-poles at
various heights and angles blocking the view. There are few parking spaces but
most are occupied by street vendors. The driver manages to dislodge one of the
vendors and park the car. I head for the ticket vending booth to find much to my
relief that the museum is open today. The entry fee is a token amount. The ticket
vendor tells me to heed the guidelines printed on the back of the ticket while
visiting the premises.
Even at token 2 Taka fee, hardly 10 people are there
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
6/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 90
The distinct pink outline of the building beyond the narrow alley.
History is preserved but hardly any visitors come to enjoy the labor of love.
I was not ready many of the restrictions printed on the back of
the ticket. Congregating, eating, drinking, spitting and taking pictures are not
allowed in the museum. I really do not want to leave the camera in the car but I
do not have a choice now. I ask the driver to go and get the car fuelled up while I
visit the museum. The driver tells me that he may have wait in line for hours toget CNG. He suggests I should pay for petroleum instead. It is many times more
expensive to get petroleum but I do not want to get stuck here and get caught in
traffic jam on the way home. I give him a thousand taka to get ten liters of
petroleum and his lunch and ask him to be back by 2pm at the parking lot.
The entry garden leading to the building is laid out in formal Mughol
style flower garden setting. The path leading to the building shifts its orientation
as it passes in front of the building. There is grand staircase leading people to themain hall under the dome. The entrance to the exhibits starts at the lower level
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
7/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 91
beyond the stairs. The building is truly grand and the restoration is immaculate.
Each and every detail has been carefully thought out and executed. Steel beams
have been used to support the floors, balconies and stairs. I am looking for themain entrance door that I had seen Ali Imam draw 20 years ago but it is not
anywhere. The security guard leads me to the exhibition halls arranged in the rows
and rows of interconnected rooms.
The exhibits consist of pictures, objects, light fixtures and other industrial
objects dating back to the last century. Many of these were studied during the
renovation. The rooms on the upper floor are larger and more airy. The lighting
used in the display does not do justice to the artifacts. The lounges on the other
hand do not need supplemental lighting to evoke the grandness of the building in
its glory days. It takes me more than an hour to see the inside of the building. The
exterior of the building and the garden require more attention,. The view from the
top of the stairs overlooking the river is spectacular. Even with all the clutter and
junk along the riverbanks, one can see the reason for the orientation and situationof the building mass facing the river.
Arrival court
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
8/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 92
It is tragic to see the failing of this superhuman effort of architecturalpreservation get bogged down by the clumsiness of the surroundings. It could
have benefited a great deal from careful planning of the developments
surrounding the museum. A grand plaza in front of the entry gate could aid in
imparting a good first impression of arrival. The axis along the building could
have been straightened to go all the way to the intersection near Bahadur Shah
Park. It would have involved control of building development and even
demolition of some structures along the way but the visitor would have been
afforded a constantly magnifying panorama of the building along the approach
drive. The other possibility and a simpler way to arrive at the building might have
been by boats along the river. Visitors could have been provided with access point
to embark boats from various points along the banks and let out at the plaza in
front of the stairs. The plaza is underutilized now and signs at the base of the trees
prohibiting tree climbing attest to lack of useful things to do in the plaza. In cities
like Paris, Venice and Copenhagen which sit on waters edges, boat access to
important buildings have been successfully used. Dhaka sits on the river and byproviding a river access, travel time could be minimized and sense of arrival
enhanced
Unutilized river link
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
9/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 93
River view of Ahsan Manzil
Ministry building in Paris with boat access, Black Diamond with boat access, Venice landmarks
with boat access from canal
The plaza is a welcome relief public space in the congested old city.
People could have been allowed to make use of it for recreation or strolling
purpose but with so few visitors, it does not seem utilized at all. The great expense
and effort at this renovation has aided in preserving the history. Without the
ability of public to visit the building in great numbers, it is just an exercise in
preservation. There has been writing of papers by individuals keen on receiving
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
10/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 94
praise and honors at the end of the project. Even at nominal entry fee there are
only 10 or so visitors during the three hours I have been here. Obviously, the cost
of renovation is not going to be recouped unless massive amounts of folks comeon a regular basis. With the access to the building practically sealed off, I feel like
the peoples funds have been used but access denied- in short, the public has been
taken for a ride.
While I am enjoying my leisurely stroll in the plaza, I see the driver
walking around with my expensive camera on his shoulder. He is back from
buying petroleum and has bought a ticket to get inside the gate. He did not feel
secured sitting in the car with my camera. I am glad to see him and get my camera
back. I take some pictures of the building. I want to get back before rush hour. My
niece had called the driver to tell him to take me to his house in Mohammadpur.
He wants me to have lunch there around 3pm. The drive back is now more
unbearable in the heat and humidity of mid-day. It is the same congested street
except now the traffic is mostly moving in one direction. That adds more time to
our getting out of the old town. I am grateful to have this driver to bring me here
and getting me back in one piece. I just wish this driver would have figured out
the streets by maps rather than intuition.
Traffic nightmare: carts, rickshaws and people
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
11/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 95
The driver wants to know if he should pull up the windows and turn the
A/C on. He is still running on CNG and running the A/C would rob the engine ofpower. As unpleasant as the heat is, I want to get the experience of old town. The
driver tells me that the red-light is flickering indicating the CNG tank is running
low. He thinks he will make it to Mohammadpur on CNG and does not want to
waste expensive petroleum if he absolutely can avoid it. I am relieved to know
there is enough fuel to make it home for lunch. If we had to stop for CNG fuel on
the way home, we might not make it there before dinner time.
We arrive at my nieces house around 3 and I take the flight of stairs to
the 4th floor to wash up and eat lunch. My nephew has also arrived and is taking a
shower before he joins me for lunch. When he comes to the table, I thank him for
letting me use his car see such a magnificent building. I would not have been able
to find it without his help. This whole trip has been worthwhile due to my visit to
Ahsan Manzil. I also tell him that I have paid for ten liters of petroleum. I hope it
would make up for the use of his car. He sounded baffled as to why the driver
would let me pay for expensive petroleum when the car had been retrofitted to
disconnect the supply line to engine from the tank. With the price of CNG at a
fraction of the cost, there is no reason to keep the supply line to the petroleumtank.
As we are eating, my niece opens some jars of home-made olive, mango
and jujube pickles. These had been sitting on the shelf for special occasions and
my visit is a special occasion. It is a treat for me- I do not have a chance to taste
such delicacies. The pickles bring lots of fond memories of my childhood. While I
am enjoying my lunch, he calls for the servant to take some food the driver. The
servant comes up the flights of stairs and tells us that the driver had taken the car
and gone after dropping me off. He also took a hose from the garage before heleft. My niece adds two plus two. The driver has taken advantage of my
unfamiliarity local system. The petroleum that I paid for went to the disconnected
tank and he is going to sell it to a taxi driver. He has now gone to the market to
siphon off the 10 liters of petrol for some quick cash. He can make more than his
weekly salary by selling the petroleum. He is laughing all the way to the market
and I am looking like a fool. I have been taken for a ride.
8/2/2019 13Taken for a Ride
12/12
Ahsan Manjil Taken for a Ride
Page 96
Ahsan Manzil as it sits now with constricted access from street and commercial boat landing in
the riverbank
Access could have been controlled along colonnaded route that orient and open up vista
corridor. The river bank could accommodate landing of boats and cruise vessels bringingvisitors from various points along the river.