At the heart of Bangladesh, between Sylhet and the Sundarbans, is the mega capital city of Dhaka, a heaving mass of humanity, congested streets and bustling lanes and bazaars ready to swallow you up the minute you arrive. Heritage sites pop up in the old town, boats in all shapes and sizes elbow each other on the muddy waters of the Buriganga while swish northern suburbs reflect the burgeoning aspirations of modern Bangladesh.
Running north to south, roads slice through the city’s three main districts, suburban Dakha, central Dhaka and most fascinating of all, to the south, Old Dhaka where life goes seemingly unchanged for centuries.
Dhaka City, Top Tourist Attractions
Top things to see in Dhaka include the following attractions:
- The Pink Palace, or Ahsan Manzil, built in the late 1800s, once home to a rich landowner, now a museum, rising like a candyfloss castle on manicured lawns.
- Lalbagh Fort, dating back to Mughal times, complete with Hall of Audience, hammam and white marble mausoleum. The museum section displays fine examples of Mughal paintings and calligraphy.
- The Sitara mosque, renowned for its colourful mosaic decorations. Tourists are welcome outside prayer times but appropriate dress is required. Women should cover their hair.
- The National Museum relating the history of Bangladesh right up to modern times and highlighting the country’s varied fauna and flora.
- Dhakeswari, a colourful Hindu temple where holy men come to meditate and Dharmarajikha, Bangladesh’s largest Buddhist monastery, gathered around a pond and towering Buddha statue.
Bangladesh, Dhaka Top Things to Do
Exploring Old Dhaka by rickshaw is a must. They say there are 400 000 of them in the city, licensed or not, earning Dhaka the title of Rickshaw Capital of the World. They are colourful, atmospheric and weave their way through the rush hour traffic like magic.
Be sure to sail on the Buriganga river which flows unhurried though the old town, swarming with ferries, canoes, country boats, fishing boats, barges and tiny wooden crafts which survive miraculously among it all. On the banks, families eke a living among fishing nets and abandoned ship hulls.
Relax in the Botanical Gardens, a welcome oasis after the city’s unrelenting commotion. It’s cool, quiet, claims 1000 plant species, distant views of the Turag river and is a haven for birds, especially at dawn and dusk. If time allows, hike in the nearby Bhawal National Park.
Dhaka, Shopping and Eating in Bangladesh Capital
Real travellers should try some of the favourite Bengali dishes, hot curry, biryani, kebabs and fish, most popular hilsa which can be prepared in many ways. Sweet yogurt is a great dessert, alongside the fudge-like jaggery made from sugar cane or palm. Eating venues abound in all parts of Dhaka, from aromatic street stalls to upmarket restaurants in Gulshan.
After a satisfying meal, shop till you drop for Dhaka is the best place to buy cheap clothes and the world’s finest muslin. For top bargains and atmosphere, head for the bazaars, the vast New Market for tunics and saris, Chandni Chowk for Bengali fabric, Nazira for bag-sized pieces of colourful rickshaw art and Shankharia on the fabulous Hindu Street, draped in incense and marigolds and tiny workshops where artisans make anything from jewellery to kites or wedding hats.
Further Reading: Lonely Planet Bangladesh by Stuart Butler
Solange Hando - I am a travel writer, editor and photographer, contributing to a range of publications in the UK and worldwide.
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