Historical Ruplal House Loses Its Grace Due to Lack of Maintenance

The name Ruplal House is associated with the glorious history and heritage of old Dhaka.

Old Dhaka was once a city of grace — meticulously planned, vibrant, and full of architectural elegance. But history records that after the fall of the Mughal rulers, its golden days began to fade. Though the British administration offered some measure of care, the city’s fortunes steadily declined. Today, through decades of neglect and poor stewardship, much of Old Dhaka’s heritage and its once-proud monuments are crumbling into memory.
Ruplal House, a magnificent reminder of the city's colonial past, is now on the verge of extinction. The historical landmark is no longer recognized by that name; it is now called Jamal House or Nurjahan House.

Formerly known as Aratoon House, the 19th-century mansion is located on the northern bank of the Buriganga River in old Dhaka's Farashganj area, beside the Buckland Dam. Once upon a time, white-skinned Europeans were captivated by the grandeur of Ruplal House. But it is difficult to imagine the grandeur and elegance of the building complex, given its current state.

A rare sketch of Ruplal House, drawn by an unknown foreign artist in the first half of the 19th century, still circulates on social media today. The artwork captures a sweeping panorama of the Buriganga River’s banks, where boats once glided gracefully over shimmering waters. Dominating the scene is the tall, elegant structure identified as Ruplal House — one of the most prestigious residences in Dhaka during that era.

Once, the Buriganga was the pride of Dhaka, its banks a place of breathtaking beauty. In 1800, James Taylor, captivated by its charm, wrote: “When the Buriganga is full of water during the rainy season, Dhaka looks like Venice.” Back then, not only did elegant pleasure boats sail its waters, but grand commercial vessels, too, made their way into the heart of the city through this majestic river.

Historian Hashem Sufi, Chief Executive of the Dhaka History Research Center, remarked, “The Armenians built this magnificent house (Ruplal House), which was among the largest in Dhaka during its time. It once welcomed the British Lord and our national poet Kazi Nazrul. But the grandeur of this residence has faded with the passage of time. It must be reclaimed from its current local occupants and restored to its former glory, making it a landmark worthy of tourism.”

Another eminent historian Muntasir Mamun, in his book "Dhaka: Smriti Bismritir Nagari", notes that in 1740, Naib Nazim Nawazish Mohammad Khan permitted the French to establish a market—or ganj—in Farashganj. From then on, the area flourished as a hub of trade and commerce, earning its name from the French traders who once thronged its lanes. In fact, as early as the 1730s, the French East India Company had been active in Dhaka’s bustling trade scene, leaving behind a legacy still etched in the locality’s name.

The French merchants are long gone, their stories now only surviving in history books.

According to Banglapedia, Armenian landlord and businessman Stephen Aratoon built a mansion on the bank of Buriganga in 1825.

However, Farashganj-based prominent merchants Ruplal Das and his brother Raghunath Das were wealthy merchants and zamindars who made their fortune primarily through trade, particularly in jute and other export commodities, during a time when the global demand for jute was booming. They invested heavily in real estate and acquired the property of Ruplal House in 1840. The Das Brothers later transformed it into a grand residence befitting their status.

In 1840, the house was renovated in accordance with the design of an architect of the Calcutta's Martin Company. It cost around Tk. 45,000 at that time to restore the whole building in the neoclassical style that was so popular then.

The two-story palace is divided into two unequal blocks, each reflecting different architectural styles, and its ground plan forms the shape of the English letter “E.” Inside, more than 50 rooms of varying sizes spread across the second floor. Each room, legend claims, cost Tk. 200 to stay back in those days. The mansion also featured a clock tower, which was damaged in an earthquake.

There was a garden on the eastern side of the house, named 'Raghubabur Bagaan’. The eastern part of the structure was called Raghunath House. It was then named Ruplal House. The western wing, known as Ruplal's Block, is the most imposing, featuring grand Corinthian columns, intricate window details, and exquisite mosaic and stained-glass work. The central block bears similarities to Ahsan Manzil. The mansion's riverfront facade stretches an impressive 9144 meters, offering a commanding view of the Buriganga River. While the grand ballroom once hosted glittering events.

Soon the Ruplal family held a position of considerable influence in Dhaka, likely second only to the Nawab family of Dhaka. The das family's social standing was so high that they often entertained British officials and elite guests, and their name appeared alongside the Nawab family in civic and philanthropic works.

The mansion gradually became the centre of art and culture in Dhaka. Ruplal Das was a well-known promoter of classical music. He invited famous maestros of Indian classical music like Ustad Alauddin Khan, Wali Ullah Khan, and Lakshmi Devi to perform at Ruplal House. Distinguished guests from the country and abroad regularly visited the house.

In 1888 on 27 November, Ruplal House famously outshone Ahsan Manzil by hosting a grand ball in honor of The Viceroy of British India, FrederickHamilton-Temple-Blackwood, better known as Lord Dufferin, and his family members—a night when the house dazzled with music, lights, and aristocratic charm.

Dufferin had come to Dhaka on an official tour. The local British people were eager to arrange a ball-dance in his honour and needed a venue fit for such an occasion. Two locations were considered suitable—Ahsan Manzil and Ruplal House. At a meeting at a European club, Ruplal House, known for its exquisite appearance and excellent facilities, was selected as the venue for the ball in honour of the Viceroy.

The party went on the whole night. The event created such hype that Dhaka Prakash - this land's first newspaper – published a report on it the next day.
It said that despite being elderly, the Governor-General (Viceroy of India) honoured all the distinguished ladies by dancing with them. The guests were served with an abundance of wine, [grilled] meat, tea and coffee. Even though Lord Dufferin had left the place, the English guests spent the rest of the night enjoying themselves. They were so drunk and loud that they frightened the neighbours of Ruplal House.

However, the glory days of Ruplal House were not to last. It started fading after the house was damaged in parts by the 1897 earthquake and the Das family moved to another house. For 50 years, the house remained abandoned.

After the partition of India in 1947, the Das family left for Kolkata, and the golden age of Ruplal House came to an end. After the family left the country, the house and the garden lost their former beauty due to the lack of maintenance. A marketplace known as Shyam Bazar gradually started here.

In 1958, the Jamal family purchased Ruplal House and renamed it Jamal House, but they too eventually left for India in 1976.

In 1974, the government requisitioned the house to accommodate the Rakkhi Bahini. After the Rakkhi Bahini was dissolved in 1976, the house was declared abandoned, and handed over to the ministry of public works for maintenance. Since then, a lady named Nurjahan and her family, who claim they had bought Raghunath Das’s share of the house, have been living in that part of the house, now called Nurjahan House.

Once one of Dhaka’s most magnificent 19th-century mansions, Ruplal House now lies in neglect, its grandeur choked by makeshift shops and illegal residences. Though recognized as a protected heritage structure under the Antiquities Act, the building's future remains perilous.

Despite its 1989 listing as a protected monument, Ruplal House has suffered encroachment: shops and unauthorized structures now crowd its environs.
Now, roughly 400 spice and vegetable vendors swarm the ground floor, turning interior halls into wholesale stores, while dozens of families—including junior commissioned army personnel—reside on upper levels  . Local residents report witnessing severe structural damage—crumbling plaster, broken roof railings, and load-bearing pillars weakened by years of neglect.

Today, Ruplal House stands as a protected heritage site, but its preservation remains a challenge.

Heritage advocates—including the Bangladesh Institute of Planners—have urged swift eviction of unauthorized occupants and removal of encroaching structures  . A recent architectural study recommends forming a community-based governance body to support adaptive reuse, such as turning the mansion into exhibition halls, craft stores, guest houses, or cultural workshop spaces that benefit both heritage and livelihood.

Ruplal House once stood proudly on the banks of the Buriganga, hosting lavish soirées where music and laughter floated into the night air. Merchants, dignitaries, and foreign guests walked its grand halls, dazzled by chandeliers and European architecture. The lavish balls at Ruplal House were once written about in British journals, making it a part of Dhaka’s rich history. Today, the same halls echo only with silence — their beauty smothered under layers of decay. Crumbling walls, broken windows, and the encroachment of urban chaos have turned this heritage mansion into a ghost of its former self.

Ruplal House is more than a building—it is a symbol of Dhaka’s layered history. Its continued survival depends on decisions made today.


Adnan Hadi is a senior journalist
mainly writing on archeological
sites and sports. He can be reached
at: [email protected]