Dhaka

Mughal forts, rickshaws and a restless riverfront

The capital is a crowded, noisy and endlessly fascinating city where Mughal monuments, colonial mansions and a modernist parliament sit within a few kilometres of each other. Old Dhaka's lanes are best explored on foot or by rickshaw, with plenty of stops for biryani and bakarkhani along the way.

Dhaka is famous for

Old Dhaka biryani and bakarkhani Lalbagh Fort and Ahsan Manzil Cycle rickshaws Jamdani and muslin heritage Pohela Boishakh and Ekushey celebrations

Places to visit in Dhaka

Historical

Lalbagh Fort

Dhaka 2 hrs

An unfinished 17th-century Mughal fort in Old Dhaka with gardens, a mosque and the tomb of Pari Bibi.

Museum

Ahsan Manzil

Dhaka 2 hrs

The pink riverside palace of the Nawabs of Dhaka, now a museum on the bank of the Buriganga.

Religious

Star Mosque (Tara Masjid)

Dhaka 0.5 hrs

A small Old Dhaka mosque covered in star-patterned mosaic made from broken china.

Landmark

Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (National Parliament House)

Dhaka 1.5 hrs

Louis Kahn's monumental concrete parliament, ringed by a lake and lawns, a landmark of modern architecture.

Religious

Dhakeshwari National Temple

Dhaka 1 hrs

Bangladesh's national Hindu temple, linked by tradition to the goddess who gave Dhaka its name.

Museum

Bangladesh National Museum

Dhaka 3 hrs

The country's largest museum at Shahbag, covering art, archaeology, natural history and the Liberation War.

Where to stay

Name	Type	Level	Per night (approx.)
Hotel Purbani International Dilkusha, Motijheel, Dhaka	Hotel	Standard	৳6,000 – ৳12,000
Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka Karwan Bazar, Dhaka	Hotel	Premium	৳15,000 – ৳35,000
Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden Airport Road, Dhaka Cantonment	Hotel	Premium	৳15,000 – ৳35,000
InterContinental Dhaka Shahbagh, Dhaka	Hotel	Premium	৳18,000 – ৳40,000