The house did not have any boundary wall initially, the lawns and gardens in the surrounding were connected visually and physically. With the changing lifestyle of the citizens, boundary walls were built for security reasons, but like the house, even these walls hold memories. The  younger members of the family would use the boundary wall as an ambulatory during their childhood.

The house faces a large south lawn, which was typical of houses of many other upper middle class families in Dhaka. The original owner, Syed Gholam Kabir, used to maintain an English garden in this front lawn. From planting trees to hosting family events, this lawn has been used for multiple purposes over the years.

The outdoor courtyard and garden area have been used for multiple purposes. Although initially, it was a green lawn with a clear view of the Sat Rowja mosque, over time, the landscape has changed and there are now large trees which shade the area and boundary wall obstructing the view.

The central hall of the house was initially designed for family gatherings but over the time it has been transformed into a place of assembly. At present, the hallroom is used as Khanka-E-Aliya, a place of special spiritual gathering.

The one storied structure along the boundary of Abul Hasnat Road was originally built for administrative purposes and quarters for staff and visitors. Later around 1980, they were turned into small shops and some have been used for other domestic functions. Some of the shops house ‘kacchi biryani’ stores.

At one point, the family used to have a mini zoo on the south side of the house, and even had a tiger as a pet. Because of which, the house was and till date is also known as Bagh Bari (the “tiger house”).

The current ‘muttawali’ Shiblee Md Fazlul Karim and his wife Nazma Karim have been responsible for taking care of the house since the early 1980s. ‘Muttawali’ is the person entrusted with responsibility to manage the ‘waqf’ estate. From generations, responsible family members have embraced the challenges of living in an old house and dedicated themselves to maintaining  the inherited property for a greater good.

The property was designated as a waqf estate with the grandson of the original owner as “muttawali”. The present “muttawali” and resident of the house Shiblee Fazlul Karim in a conversation with Salauddin Ahmed.