The courtyard of the heritage-rich palace built in the 19th century covers an area of approximately 16,554 square meters. Two lion statues stand on either side of the entrance gate to the Zamindar’s house. The entire Zamindar’s courtyard is enclosed by a tall boundary wall, and as you enter through the main gate, you are greeted by a beautifully landscaped green courtyard. In the courtyard, there is a well-maintained garden with lovely flowers. Adjacent to the courtyard, there are four multi-story buildings.
Behind these buildings, you’ll find four ponds and the Zamindar’s inner chambers. The palace has 200 rooms, and each room exhibits meticulous craftsmanship. The walls of the buildings, constructed with chun-surki (a traditional building technique), iron sheets, and kadamat (a mixture of lime and jute fibers), are approximately 20 inches thick. Baliati Zamindar’s house is a testament to unique architectural skills and artistic craftsmanship, reflecting the heritage of the contemporary Zamindars.
Today, the Baliati Palace serves as a museum that houses a collection of artifacts, historical documents, and memorabilia from the zamindar period. Visitors can explore the rich history and culture of the region through these exhibits. The palace has become a popular tourist attraction in Bangladesh, drawing visitors interested in history, architecture, and heritage tourism. It provides insight into the lifestyle and opulence of the zamindars of the past.
Time to visit:
During the summer season (from April to September), Baliati Zamindar’s House is open to visitors from 10 AM to 6 PM, and during the winter season (from October to March), it remains open from 9 AM to 5 PM. Except for Fridays, the house observes a temporary closure from 1 PM to 1:30 PM every day.
On every Friday, the house remains closed for public viewing from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM for Friday prayers.
The Baliati Zamindar’s House remains closed for visitors on all government holidays, including full-day Sundays and half-day Mondays.
Entry Fee: To enter Baliati Zamindar’s House, there is an entry fee of 20 Taka per person for locals and 200 Taka for foreign nationals."
How to get there:
From Dhaka’s Gabtoli Bus Terminal, you can take buses to Saturia, Aricha, or Manikganj. It’s best to go to Saturia by S.B Link Paribahan from Gabtoli. Once you reach Saturia, you’ll need to take a zero point (Ziro Point) ride. Just inform the bus supervisor that you want to go to the Zamindar’s house, and they will drop you off there. Typically, it takes a little over two hours to reach Saturia from Dhaka by bus. However, be prepared for potential traffic jams along the way. The distance from the zero point to the Zamindar’s house is approximately 1 kilometer. You can easily reach Baliati Palace from there by hiring a rickshaw or CNG (auto-rickshaw) for a fare of 20-30 Taka.
Additionally, you can go to Abdullopur and then proceed to Nabiganj if you want to travel from Uttara in Dhaka. You can catch a bus to Saturia from in front of the Smriti Saudho (Memorial Monument) in Nabiganj. The fare for this ride will be around 40-50 Taka. From Saturia, you can follow the methods mentioned above.
Furthermore, if you are coming from any other place in the country, you can first come to Manikganj and then use local transportation to reach your destination.
