The Taras Rajbari , viewed from the street through an unusually impressive archway, is a few hundred metres south of the town centre on the main road. Dating from the late 19th century, this grand red-and-white building with a crazy coat of arms was evidently once an elegant palace, but it’s now all too obviously the drab home of government offices.
Very close by is a fairground-style mosque that is as bright and gaudy as you’ll find in Bangladesh.
East of town, on the banks of the Padma River, Sitlai Palace , dating from 1900, is a grand rajbari that’s fairly well preserved. Today it’s occupied by a drug company, so you can’t see the 30-room interior. The exterior is interesting, however, with a broad staircase flagged with white marble, leading to a second-storey arched portico.
