Shaista Khan Mirza Abu Talib شاه خان , better known as Shaista Khan ) was a subahdar and a general in the Mughal army . A maternal uncle to Emperor Aurangzeb , he served as the Mughal governor of Bengal from 1664 to 1688 , and was a key figure during the rule of his nephew . Under Shaista Khan ' s authority , the city of Dhaka and Mughal power in the province attained its greatest heights . In the year 1660 , he was sent to participate in the struggle against the Maratha king Shivaji . However , he was defeated in a surprise attack and lost one of his sons . Early life . Shaista Khan was of Iranian origin . His grandfather Mirza Ghias Beg Itimaduddaula and father Asaf Khan were the wazirs of the Mughal Emperors Shahjahan and Jahangir , respectively . Emperor Jahangir awarded the title of Shaista Khan to Mirza in recognition of his family ' s service and position in the Mughal court . Shaista Khan trained and served with the Mughal army and court , winning multiple promotions and being appointed governor of various provinces . He also developed a reputation as a successful military commander and grew close to the prince Aurangzeb when the duo fought against the kingdom of Golconda . Confrontation with Shivaji . After his accession to the throne and the dramatic death of Afzal Khan , Aurangzeb sent Shaista Khan as viceroy of the Deccan with a large army to defeat Shivaji . In January 1660 Shaista Khan arrived at Aurangabad and quickly advanced , seizing Pune , the center of Shivaji ' s realm . He also captured the fort of Chakan and Kalyan and north Konkan after heavy fighting with the Maratha . The Maratha were banned from entering the city of Pune and Mughal distance from the locals turned out to be an error . On the evening of April 5 , 1663 , a wedding party had obtained special permission for holding a procession . Shivaji and many of his nearly 400 men disguised as the bridegroom ' s procession members entered Pune . Others entered in small parties dressed as laborers and soldiers of Maratha generals serving under Shaista Khan . After midnight , they raided the Nawab ' s compound and then entered the palace in an attempt to assassinate Shaista Khan . Shaista Khan was clearly unaware and unprepared . The Marathas broke into the courtyard of the palace and slaughtered the palace guards . Shaista Khan lost three fingers in a skirmish with Shivaji , while his son was killed in an encounter with the Marathas in the palace courtyard . Forty attendants and six women were also killed . Taking advantage of the confusion and darkness , the Marathas escaped the palace and Pune , despite the widespread camping of Mughal forces . Shocked by the sudden and bold attack in Pune , Aurangzeb angrily transferred Shaista Khan to Bengal , even refusing to give him an interview at the time of transfer as was the custom . Subahdar of Bengal . Shaista Khan was appointed the Subahdar of Bengal upon the death of Mir Jumla II in 1663 . As governor , he encouraged trade with Europe , Southeast Asia and other parts of India . He consolidated his power by signing trade agreements with European powers . Despite his powerful position he remained loyal to Aurangzeb , often mediating trade disputes and rivalries . He banned the British East India Company from Bengal , sparking Child ' s War in 1686 . Construction projects . Shaista Khan encouraged the construction of modern townships and public works in Dhaka , leading to a massive urban and economic expansion . He was a patron of the arts and encouraged the construction of majestic monuments across the province , including mosques , mausoleums and palaces that represented the finest in Indo - Sarcenic and Mughal architecture . Khan greatly expanded Lalbagh Fort , Chowk Bazaar Mosque , Saat Masjid and Choto Katra . He also supervised the construction of the mausoleum for his daughter Bibi Pari . Conquest of Chittagong . Upon his arrival in Bengal , Shaista Khan was immediately engrossed in putting down the rebellions of hill tribes . He foresaw a potent threat from the Arakan Kingdom ( in modern Myanmar ) , which had developed its military and naval strength . He immediately began developing the Mughal navy , increasing its fleet to as many as 300 ships within a year . He also made strenuous diplomatic efforts to win the support of the Dutch East India Company as well as Portugal , which was supporting Arakan with resources and troops . With active Dutch military support , Shaista Khan led Mughal forces on an assault on the island of Sandwip , which lay in Arakanese control . Shaista Khan gained a considerable advantage when a conflict erupted between the Arakanese and the Portuguese . By promptly offering protection and support , Khan sequestered the aid of the Portuguese against the Arakanese and Mughal forces succeeded in capturing the island in November 1665 . In December 1665 Shaista Khan launched a major military campaign against Chittagong , which was the mainstay of the Arakenese kingdom . The imperial fleet consisted of 288 vessels of their own and about 40 vessels of the Ferinigis ( Portuguese ) as auxiliaries . Ibn Hussain , Shaista Khan ' s admiral , was asked to lead the navy , while the subahdar himself took up the responsibility of supplying provisions for the campaign . The overall command was given to Buzurg Ummed Khan , a son of Shaista Khan . The Mughals and the Portuguese held sway in the following naval battle . The conquered territory was placed under direct imperial administration . The name of Chittagong was changed to Islamabad and it became the headquarters of a Mughal faujdar . Khan also re - asserted Mughal control over Cooch Behar and Kamarupa . Upon his victory against the Arakanese , he ordered the release of thousands of Bengali peasants being held captive by the Arakanese forces . Legacy . In his late years , Shaista Khan left Dhaka and returned to Delhi . His legacy was the expansion of Dhaka into a regional centre of trade , politics and culture ; a thriving and prosperous city from a small township . The Shaista Khan Mosque is a massive standing monument to Shaista Khan , built on his palace grounds . Incorporating unique elements of Bengali and Mughal architecture , it is a major tourist attraction and a valued historical monument protected by the Government of Bangladesh today .