The Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban is the Parliament house of Bangladesh, located at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka. Initially designed for the Parliament of Pakistan by architect Louis Kahn, the complex is one of the largest legislative complexes in the world, covering . Kahn submitted a preliminary design of the proposed building in Dhaka in 1960, which was approved by the government and land was acquired for its construction in 1961. A year after Kahn was fully commissioned to construct the building, in 1963, he went to East Pakistan to complete its design and construction began in 1964. When the liberation war of Bangladesh started in 1971, the construction of the building stopped. Since the building construction was halted during the war, the constituent assembly of Bangladesh governed through what is now the Prime Minister's Office building. Kahn died when the project was approximately three-quarters completed and it continued under David Wisdom, who worked for Kahn. It was completed on 28 January 1982.

Current developments

thumb|Jatiya Sangsad after the [[resignation of Sheikh Hasina in 2024]]

During the third Khaleda ministry, the government communicated plans to construct residences for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. According to some prominent architects, no such plan existed in the original design. On 6 October 2016, to restore the original design, the government announced to move the graves situated at the parliament area which includes the mausoleum of Ziaur Rahman. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which was established by Ziaur Rahman, objected to the decision. On 1 December 2016, the government received the plan. On 7 December 2016, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist party, alleged that by restoring the original design and removing the structures except the parliament building and the crescent lake, the government wants to reinstate the flag of Pakistan at the parliament area.

On the occasion of the Mujib Year in 2020, initiatives were taken to undertake renovation projects to modernize the Parliament building. According to the plan, the building included the construction of an archive of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, modernization of some rooms, renovation of walkways, modernization of the MP Hostel area, reconstruction of the police barrack and construction of a studio for Sangsad Bangladesh Television, which was scheduled to be constructed by September 2024.

During a mass uprising on 5 August 2024, the building was stormed by protesters demanding Hasina's resignation. At that time the building was badly damaged due to attacks, vandalism and looting. Forty firearms were taken from building security by looters but were later returned by students. Other damaged and looted possessions included air conditioners, lifts, lights, electric lines, gates and numerous other infrastructural belongings. 192 rooms of the MP Hostel were also vandalised. It was estimated that nearly would be required to repair the loss.

History of use by Parliament

Twelve parliaments have used the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban as the Parliament building:

  1. First Parliament: 2 years 7 months (7th March 1973 – 6th November 1975)
  2. Second Parliament: 2 years 11 months (2nd April 1979 – 24th March 1982)
  3. Third Parliament: 1 year 5 months (10th July 1986 – 6th December 1987)
  4. Fourth Parliament: 2 years 7 months (15th April 1988 – 6th December 1990)
  5. Fifth Parliament: 4 years 8 months (5th April 1991 – 24th November 1995)
  6. Sixth Parliament: 12 days (19th March 1996 – 30th March 1996)
  7. Seventh Parliament: 5 years (14th July 1996 – 13th July 2001)
  8. Eighth Parliament: 5 years (28th October 2001 – 27th October 2006)
  9. Ninth Parliament: 5 years (6th January 2009 – 24th January 2014)
  10. Tenth Parliament: 5 years (14th January 2014 - 7th January 2019)
  11. Eleventh Parliament: 5 years (7th January 2019 - 7th January 2024)
  12. Twelfth Parliament: 7 months (7th January 2024 - 6th August 2024)
  13. Thirteenth Parliament: 29 days (12th March 2026 - Present Day)

Architecture and design

thumb|View of National Parliament of Bangladesh

Louis Kahn designed the entire Jatiya Sangsad complex, which includes lawns, lake and residences for the Members of the Parliament (MPs). The architect's key design philosophy was to represent Bengali culture and heritage, while at the same time optimizing the use of space. The exterior of the building is striking in its simplicity, with huge walls deeply recessed by porticoes and large openings of regular geometric shapes. The main building, which is at the center of the complex, is divided into three parts – the Main Plaza, South Plaza and Presidential Plaza. An artificial lake surrounds three sides of the main building of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, extending to the Members of Parliament hostel complex. The use of water features is intended to reflect the riverine landscape of Bangladesh and contributes to the site’s overall design.

Design philosophy

thumb|220px|Play of light inside the building

Kahn's key design philosophy optimizes the use of space while representing Bengali heritage and culture. External lines are deeply recessed by porticoes with huge openings of regular geometric shapes on their exterior, shaping the building's overall visual impact.

In the architect Louis Kahn's own words:

The lake on three sides of the Bhaban, extending up to the Members' hostel, adds to the site's aesthetics and also portrays the riverine beauty of Bangladesh.

The Parliament building received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1989.

Bhaban (main building)

The Bhaban consists of nine individual blocks: the eight peripheral blocks rise to a height of 110' while the central octagonal block rises to a height of 155'. All nine blocks include different groups of functional spaces and have different levels, inter-linked horizontally and vertically by corridors, lifts, stairs, light courts, and circular areas. The entire structure is designed to blend into one single, non-differentiable unit, that appears from the exterior to be a single story.

The main committee rooms are located at level two in one of the peripheral blocks. All parliamentary functionaries, including Ministers and chairpersons of some Standing Committees, have offices in the Bhaban. The Parliament Secretariat also occupies offices in the same building.

Legacy

The building was featured prominently in the 2003 film My Architect, detailing the career and familial legacy of its architect, Louis Kahn. Robert McCarter, author of Louis I. Kahn, described the National Parliament of Bangladesh as one of the twentieth century's most significant buildings.

See also

  • Palace of Assembly, similar legislative complex in Chandigarh, India

References

Footnotes

Citations

  • McCarter, Robert [2004]. Louis I. Kahn. Phaidon Press Ltd, p. 512. .
  • Wiseman, Carter [2007]. Louis I. Kahn: Beyond Time and Style: A Life in Architecture, New York: W.W. Norton. .
  • Bangladesh Parliament Legislative Information Centre
  • ArchNet Entry Images, articles on the Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban.
  • Infographic of Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban.
  • Seven Wonders of the World, Architecture The Globe and Mail has named it as one of the seven architectural wonders of the world.