Abul Quasem Chowdhury

Ahsan Manzil Abul Quasem Chowdhury

A HISTORICALLY GORGEOUS AND IMPORTANT PALACE IN DHAKA BANGLADESH WAS ON THE VERGE OF RUIN. AS A HISTORY LOVER AND A CONSCIOUS PERSON OF HIS NATIONAL PRIDE HE TOOK ACTIVE INTEREST TO RESTORE THE PALACE AND ITS ANCILLARY ZENANA MAHAL/ANDAR MAHAL AND CONVERTED IT INTO MUSEUM. tHE RESTORATION WAS NOT EASY. FIST OF ALL THE SITE HAD TO BE SURVEYED TO ASCERTAIN THE DEGREE OF DAMAGE, RESTORE OLD PHOTOGRAPHS, ASK FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICES ARCHAEOLOGIST AND TO MAKE ALL OUT EFFORTS FOR DOCUMENTING THE ACTUAL ARCHITECTURAL SHAPE, PLANE, CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND METHODS ETC. THE ENGINEER HAD TO MOTIVATE THE LOCAL TECHNICIANS, MASONS, CARPENTER, AND EVEN THE UNSKILLED LABOURS TO MAKE THEM FEEL THAT THEY ARE IMPORTANT PART OF BENGALI CULTURE AND HISTORY, AND THE STRUCTURE WOULD TELL THE WORLD WHAT WAS OUR HERITAGE AND HOW VALUABLE IT WAS AND EVEN NOW. THEY WERE THUS MOTIVATED FOR GOOD AND SKILL RESTORATION WAS AS A PART OF SECRET DUTY. tHE BOOK IS A FIRST PERSON STORY FROM THE PROJECT MANAGER, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND WRITER.