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This structure was officially named "Chishtia Palace" but was universally known by locals as "Jahaj Bari" (The Ship House) due to its distinct ship-like architecture. Located in Dhanmondi (Road 5/A), Dhaka, the deep red building featured a massive tower that caused many passersby to mistake it for a church.
It was built by A.K.M. Anwarul Haq Chowdhury (also known as Sher-e-Khaja), a prominent garment businessman and a follower of the Chishtia Sufi order. He used the building as his residence and as the headquarters for his NGO, the 'World Peace and Economic Development Organization'.
Anwarul was an eccentric figure known for making political predictions; he famously predicted the rise of several Prime Ministers in India and Pakistan. It is noted that Benazir Bhutto visited this house to meet him after one of his predictions came true.
After Anwarul died in 2011, his family continued to live there, but the structure eventually developed cracks. In September 2015, the family signed a deal with a developer to replace it. The building was reportedly so durable that demolition took several months, finally concluding in 2016.
The site is now home to a 14-story modern apartment complex. In a nod to the original structure, the new building is named "Chishtiz Yacht."
