National Parliament House travel guide

At a glance

Architect

Louis I. Kahn (USA)

Built

1961–1982

Area

A complex of about 200 acres

Distinction

Aga Khan Award for Architecture (1989)

History and details

In 1959 the then Pakistan government decided to build a second capital and parliament building for East Pakistan. The architect Muzharul Islam was first given the job, and he proposed bringing in one of the world's best architects; as a result the American architect Louis I. Kahn was given the commission.

Work began in 1961 but stopped during the Liberation War; it restarted after independence and finished in 1982. Kahn died in 1974, so he never saw the finished building. Light and shadow play through geometric openings — circles, triangles and rectangles — and the artificial lake around it makes the building seem to float on water.

The building is known worldwide as one of the great architectural works of the 20th century; it won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1989. It features prominently in 'My Architect', the documentary about Kahn's life made by his son.

Things to do

• See the front of the building from Manik Mia Avenue
• Walk in Chandrima Udyan and by Crescent Lake in the afternoon
• To go inside, ask the Parliament Secretariat about permission

How to get to National Parliament House

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Agargaon; close to the Agargaon or Farmgate Metro stations.

Where to stay

• Pan Pacific Sonargaon and InterContinental Dhaka (luxury)
• Plenty of mid-range hotels in Gulshan-Banani, Paltan and Farmgate (৳2,000–6,000)

What to eat

Old Dhaka kacchi biryani, Haji's biryani, bakarkhani, borhani, Nanna Mia's morog polao

Good to know

• The best views of the building are from Manik Mia Avenue and Chandrima Udyan
• Flying drones is banned in the security area

More to see nearby

• Chandrima Udyan (next door)
• Liberation War Museum (2 km)
• Science Museum and Novotheatre (2 km)
• Agargaon Metro station (1.5 km)

More places to visit in Dhaka district

• Lalbagh Fort — An unfinished fort begun in 1678 under the Mughal subahdar Prince Azam Shah. Inside are Pari Bibi's tomb, an audience hall and a mosque.
• Ahsan Manzil — The pink palace of the Nawabs of Dhaka on the Buriganga, now a museum. You can see furniture and pictures from the Nawabs' time.
• Hatirjheel — A lake, bridges and walkways in the middle of the city. Evening lights and water taxis are popular.
• National Museum — The country's largest museum; huge collections of archaeology, history, the Liberation War and folk art.
• Star Mosque — A beautiful 18th-century mosque decorated with star patterns in broken china.
• Dhakeshwari Temple — Dhaka's oldest temple and the national temple, thought to be linked to the city's name.
• Armenian Church — The Armenians' church, built in 1781, witness to Old Dhaka's multi-ethnic history.
• Liberation War Museum — A modern museum of documents, photos and relics of the 1971 Liberation War.

Location on the map