Six things to do in Dhaka, Bangladesh

The world is packed full of interesting places to see and cultures to immerse yourself in. Rarely do you find a place more fascinating than Dhaka in Bangladesh.
Even though Bangladesh has only existed officially since 1971, it has a history going back thousands of years.
Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh and attracts visitors from all over the world who want to experience the unique cuisine, museums and other attractions.

Here are six things you must definitely do if you visit Dhaka:

1. Take a ride on a rickshaw

Dhaka has the distinction of having the highest concentration of rickshaws in the world, and millions of people use them to commute to work every day as well as for leisure pursuits.
Bicycle rickshaws are known for their beautiful and colourful appearance and owners often hire artists to enhance their loveliness further.
Dhaka is also the only place in the world with pedal rickshaws.
If you’d like to hear people’s experiences of getting around Dhaka in a rickshaw then Trip Advisor has some great reviews here.

2. Go for a ferry ride on the Buriganga river

The Buriganga River is full of ferries and hire boats to take travellers wherever they want to go. Because Bangladesh is a mainly riverine country, this river is very important in terms of trade and access to other parts of the country.
If you’re feeling brave and fancy some adventure on the river then you can hire a small boat from Sadarghat Boat Terminal from Tk 100 per hour.

3. Visit the tenth largest mosque in the world

Baitul Mukarram Mosque is the tenth largest mosque in the whole world and is really worth a visit even just to look at the outside of the building. It’s located in the centre of Dhaka and is easy to get to on foot, by rickshaw or taxi.
Completed in 1968, it really is a beautiful work of art and symbolises the strength of the Islamic faith in Bangladesh. You’ll also appreciate the traditional Islamic design of the building.
According to Bangladesh.com, the mosque also has shops and libraries and has areas where you can park, so there really is no excuse to not visit.

4. Go to the zoo

Dhaka Zoo is a key Bangladeshi attraction and you can even do elephant and horse riding there.
According to the official website, Dhaka Zoo is home to 2,000 animals from 165 different species, that’s a lot of animals.
Be one of the hundreds of thousands of people that go and visit the zoo every year and make sure you take advantage of the way in which it is laid out.
The animal enclosures are set out to appear as much like the natural habitat of the animal as possible, allowing you to have a unique learning and visual experience.
The entry fee is TK 20.

5. Shop until you drop

As well as lovely local markets and shops where you can buy local clothes and trinkets, Dhaka is also home to the huge Bashundhara City shopping centre.
The mall is open most days and often until 7:30 in the evening. As well as the many shops, there is a food court, live music and even a Cineplex.
Go and visit the shopping centre and the 2,700 shops there. There is some tourist information here you may find useful.

6. Try the local cuisine

Old Dhaka has lots of outlets selling traditional Bangladeshi food. There are also international chain restaurants like Bella Italia though if you would rather eat what you are familiar with.
If you would like to immerse yourself fully in the local culture, then it is recommended that you try some of the local food.
A local dish is Kacchi biriyani and this is made with rice, mutton, ghee and spices and will cost you around TK 120 for a half plate.
Haleem (sometimes spelt Halim) is another Asian dish you would find served in Old Dhaka, it’s comprised of mutton, wheat, beans and spices and usually served with fresh onions, limes or fresh ginger sticks.

While we’re not lucky enough to be in Dhaka at the moment, we offer you the chance to make cheap calls to Bangladesh, including Dhaka and other areas of the country so that you can keep in touch with your friends and relatives out there.

Calls from a landline are only 1.5p per minute and calls to or from mobiles start at 1.5p a minute also, meaning that there is no excuse to not keep in touch and ask them to bring you back a trinket from the markets in Old Dhaka.