Baliati Palace is a less known tourist spot in Bangladesh to the
outer world located at Shaturia in Manikganj. It is one of the finest
specimens of 19th century monuments of the Renaissance colonial style in
Bangladesh. The founder of the Baliati Zaminder was one Govinda Ram
Shaha, who was a big salt merchant in the middle of the 18th century. He
left four sons: Dadhi Ram, Ananda Ram, Pandit Ram, and Golap Ram. They
built all these buildings in the palace complex. The famous Jagannath
College in Dhaka was founded and endowed by a member of Baliati family,
Babu Kishori Lal Roy Chowdhury.
The building complex consisted of seven separate blocks surrounded by
a high enclosure wall pierced by three identical gateways, surmounted
with a lion. The complex occupying an area of 5.88 acres of land and
containing over 200 rooms of various shapes and dimensions. To the
north, there is a tank with regular masonry landings. The central block
of upper storey has a decorative hall called Rong Mohal, which is now
used as a museum.
The palatial complex is now preserved as a protected cultural
properties (antiquities). The department of archaeology protected this
site on 1987.
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