 In 1730 the French came to Dhaka to set up their businesses.They bought a house on the bank of the Buriganga from Jamindar Sheikh Mutiullah and made their Kuthi in the place currently known as Ahsan Manzil.The Naib Nazim, Nawazish Ali Khan gave permission to the French to build their market in the area, and it was named 'Frenchganj1, but to the locals it came to be known as 'Farashganj'.