Lalbagh Kella – Dhaka – Lonely Traveler

Lalbagh kella is an unfinished fort that is located at the Lalbagh of Old Dhaka. The construction was initiated under the direction of Azam Shah, the third son of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb during 1678. His construction was thwarted as he was summoned back to Delhi to fight against the Marathi. Later on Shayesta Khan continued the construction during 1680. But unfortunately his beloved daughter Pori Bibi had died that time and he considered this fort as a bad omen, and thus he never completed this task anymore (after 1684). This Lalbagh kella is also known as Lalbagh fort, Lalbag kella, etc.

What we have inside the Lalbagh Kella?

The Lalbagh fort has three main edifices apart from the fort itself. It has a three domes mosque at the western side, and a Hammam Khana at the eastern side. Middle of these two it has a tomb (of Pori Bibi). This tomb was built using rich materials (considering that time) like marble stone, black basalt, etc. At the center chamber of this square shaped complex the beloved daughter of Shayesta Khan was buried.

At the roof of the conference hall.

There is a mosque inside the fort.

The mosque is publicly open for the public to practice their daily prayer. And the Hammam Khana is serving as a museum which exhibits the used materials like knifes, dress, guns from that time. Right now the second floor is not open (but it was when I have visited there long time back as a kid).

The mausoleum of Pori Bibi located inside the Lalbagh Kella.

A bit more about the this, Lalbagh fort has three main facades and only one is open these days. These gates are at the northern side of the fort. At southern side it has several high walls which were the part of the main fortification. I believe these were designed to be a part of the high pathway for patrolling. This fort was totally abandoned for a long period. Later it was renovated, but still the only remaining portion of the wall is in very dilapidated condition.

The mausoleum of Pori Bibi.

How to Go:

This Lalbagh Kella is located in the Older part of Dhaka. It is very easy to access. You can ask any rickshaw puller from Gulistan to drop you there. The GPS coordinate of the fort is (23°43’10.73″N, 90°23’17.28″E).

Hammam Khana.

Ticket, Opening and Closing:

Lalbagh kella remains open Tuesday to Saturday, which means Sunday and Monday are the off days. The ticket price is 5 Taka for the kids. And 20 Taka for the adults. For the foreigner it’s 100 Taka per person.

A threes dome mosque at the western side of the Lalbagh fort.

Where to Stay:

Booking.com

Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh. Everyday lot of visiting people from around the country and also the foreigners use to live in Dhaka. That’s why this city has all quality of hotels (including the bests from the country). Check here for the list of hotels from Dhaka.

A three domes mosque at the western side of the fort.

Note:

The river Buriganga is very near from this place. You can have a boat ride from there if you have time in hand. Around the rainy season the Buriganga river is very enjoyable for the visitors. GPS coordinate of Swari ghat beside the Buriganga river is (23°42’40.46″N, 90°23’40.06″E).

Aerial view inside the Lalbagh fort complex.

Other places nearby

This Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque is very close to Lalbagh Kella.

The Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque is within walking distance from this Lalbagh kella. After visiting this place you could go to see the mosque. It would only take 5-10 minutes to visit the mosque.