PK Sen Bhaban at Sadarghat in the port city. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

Chinese voyager Huen Tsang in his writing described Chittagong as a sleeping beauty emerging from fog and stream and the Portuguese merchants of the 16th century gave it the title of 'Porto grande'.
But it is not only a port city but also a city of small hills and lakes. And it has various beautiful ancient and traditional buildings too such as Aadalot Bhaban, PK Sen Bhaban and Old Railway Station Bhaban.
The river Karnaphuli is flowing to the Bay of Bengal beneath the 3rd Karnaphuli bridge beside the zemindar bhavan popularly known as the PK Sen Bhaban at Sadar Ghat under Kotwali Police Station. Once it was also known as 'Prasanna Kumar Dham'.
PK Sen Bhaban is one of the traditional and the ancient buildings in Chittagong. It was one of the biggest Bhabans in Chittagong during the British era.
Zemindar Prasanna Kumar Sen, a kind-hearted man in Raozan, built the traditional building on the bank of the river Karnaphuli.
He also established many tolls and pathshalas (school) in the area during that period. PK Sen Bazar at Magdhai in Raozan is one of them, said seventy-year-old Swapan Chowdhury, a resident of PK Sen Bhaban area. The building is made of chun-surki (plaster and brick).
The traditional building has six floors with 40 big rooms. There are many big beautiful ventilators with geometric shapes. Wide windows are main characteristics of the building.
Rakhal Chandra Das, 75, said he has been living here since he was 15. He learnt that Prashanna Kumar has built the building during the British era, he said, adding that he did not see any of zemindar's close relatives here. They all have migrated to India along with their families.
He said there was also a big playground in front of the Bhaban where he used to play. The visitors now can't enjoy beauty of the building as multi-storied buildings have been constructed around it, he said.
Recalling his childhood memories, he said various pujas on the PK Sen Bhaban premises were very attractive to them.
Taposh Chowdhury, owner of a grocery shop, said PK Sen Bhaban is one of the traditional buildings in Chittagong. Taposh said city corporation should take proper step for preservation of the Bhaban as heritage.
If government preserves these buildings properly, these could be important parts of our arts and heritages, he said.