Sunday, August 10, 2008

Parliament in one hell of a setting


Ranging a bit wider through the city I've now seen at least two hugely impressive buildings. One is the palatial White House like home of the prime minister -- or as he's called here -- the Chief Advisor.
And second is this huge house of Parliament set in a gorgeous park filled with all kinds of trees. The structure is from the 1960s designed for a much bigger country -- the first Pakistan carved from the Indian subcontinent. That country included the main Muslim enclaves in the otherwise mostly Hindu India. The east and west enclaves or Pakistan sat like ears on either side of the face of India and that was the problem -- that big nose of India right in the middle of Pakistan. The east ear became Bangladesh and on its territory sat the parliament site.
It was designed by American architect Louis Kahn and it's just eye catching as possible in crowded and shabby Dhaka. Zahid says that if you see it from above the property is in the shape of the flag -- Pakistan's flag, that is, not Bangladesh's.

(photo is from internet)

1 comment:

NAq said...

the pakistani flag comment is an often repeated lark, as are rumours of a vast underground network of tunnels, secret chambers, time portals, and other elaborate fictions that help shroud the building in mystery.
unlike the impenetrable fortress-like exterior, the spaces contained inside are vast, open, and filled with light.

here are some pics from a trip in 2001: http://www.naquib.com/kahnpics/Assembly.htm

the unfortunate events of the past few months have all but blocked any public access to the complex...

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