Lalbagh Fort (also Fort Aurangabad) is an incomplete 17th-century Mughal fort complex that stands before the Buriganga River in the southwestern part of Dhaka, Bangladesh.[1] The construction was started in 1678 AD by Mughal Subahdar Muhammad Azam Shah, who was son of Emperor Aurangzeb and later emperor himself. His successor, Shaista Khan, did not continue the work, though he stayed in Dhaka up to 1688.Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Coordinates
Founder
Muhammad Azam Shah
Built
1678
Architectural style(s)
Mughal architecture
The fort was never completed, and unoccupied for a long period of time. Much of the complex was built over and now sits across from modern buildings.The Mughal prince Muhammad Azam, third son of Aurangzeb started the work of the fort in 1678 during his vice-royalty in Bengal. He stayed in Bengal for 15 months. The fort remained incomplete when he was called away by his father Aurangzeb.
Shaista Khan was the new subahdar of Dhaka in that time, and he did not complete the fort. In 1684, the daughter of Shaista Khan named Iran Dukht Pari Bibi died there. After her death, he started to think the fort as unlucky, and left the structure incomplete.[2] Among the three major parts of Lalbagh Fort, one is the tomb of Bibi Pari.
After Shaista Khan left Dhaka, it lost its popularity. The main cause was that the capital was moved from Dhaka to Murshidabad. After the end of the royal Mughal period, the fort became abandoned. In 1844, the area acquired its name as Lalbagh replacing Aurangabad, and the fort became Lalbagh Fort.[From the time of construction till date, various myths have revolved around the fort. Among all the historical stories and debates, it is widely believed that Lalbagh Fort stands as a monument of the unfulfilled dreams of Prince Muhammad Azam, beloved son of Emperor Aurangzeb. In the mid 17th century, he was serving as the Viceroy of Bengal and began the construction of the impressive Lalbagh Fort complex.
Therefore, the popular stories about the fort begin. Before the construction was finished, Prince Azam was called back to his father, to assist in the war against the Marathas. Legend says after the Mughal prince departed, Shaista Khan continued with building the project, but upon the untimely death of his much-loved daughter Iran-Dukht, warmly known as Pari Bibi, the construction was stopped. Bibi was engaged to Prince Azam at the time of her death.
There are also legends and debates about the identity of Pari Bibi. Few researchers claim she was a nine-year-old Ahom princess. Mir Jumals Ahom's expedition brought a war adjoining the Garo hills. He took the daughter of Ahom Raja to compel him for the full execution of the previous peace treaty. Later, the emperor made her convert to Islam and married her off to prince Azam. However, overshadowing all the debates, people now believe that she was the loving daughter of Nawab Shaista Khan.[6]Rahman, Habibur (2012). "Lalbagh Fort". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
Sayid Aulad Hasan (1903). Extracts from the Notes on the Antiquities of Dacca. Published by the author. p. 5.
The Archaeological Heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 586.
The Archaeological Heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 589
The Archaeological Heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 597
The Archeological heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 592.
The Archeological Heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 593.
"The Secret Passages of Lalbagh Fort". Star Weekend Magazine. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
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