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Khan Bahadur Abdur Rashid. The mansion was then renamed “Rashid Manzil”.

Later, it came under the ownership of Kazi Mohammad Bashir (popularly known as Humayun Saheb) and subsequently to Kazi Abdur Rakib and his wife Laila Rakib.

The mansion is deeply entwined with Bangladesh’s political history. Following the Partition of India, many significant political meetings were held here, including the first informal meeting to establish the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League in 1949. Numerous renowned politicians and leaders from Bangladesh and India were hosted here.

In 1966, the property was leased to Bengal Studio. In 1993, the Rashid family regained ownership. In 2018, the Government of Bangladesh acquired the property for Tk 331 crore.

After 2022, the building was restored and reopened on July 30 last year. Now, visitors can enter the building from 11:00am till 6:00pm. It remains fully closed on Sundays. On Mondays, it remains open partially from 2:00pm to 6:00pm. Entry tickets are priced at Tk 30 for regular visitors and Tk 10 for students each.

Afroza Khan Mita, regional director of the Department of Archaeology, said the Rose Garden has seen a steady stream of local and foreign visitors since its reopening.

“In August and September last year alone, we earned a total of Tk 17 lakh from ticket sales. Clearly, there is immense public interest. The site offers Dhaka residents a peaceful retreat while also contributing to government revenue,” she said.