The Bangladesh Traveller

Introduction to Dhaka

Love it or loathe it, the capital city is an essential ingredient of the Bangladesh travel experience. As the nation’s heart and soul, the city has the best (great restaurants and extensive shopping) and the worst (prolific poverty and horrendous pollution) of everything. As much as some travelers – and even bideshi (Bangladeshi locals) – would like to pass it by, Dhaka is Bangladesh at its most raw and emotive.

History

Dhaka’s history essentially begins in 1608 when the Mughal rulers proclaimed it as the new capital of Bengal, and thus 2008 saw a few celebrations of Dhaka’s 400th birthday. Before then, Dhaka was a functional trading port consisting of a small township served by many bazaars. It would not be until the Mughals relocated the capital from Sonargaon that the city began its expansion. The next century would see the city hosting a number of international interests with scores of Portuguese, French, English and Dutch merchants visiting Dhaka’s trading ports, where a finewoven cotton known as muslin was produced for export and famed internationally for its quality, showing up on the tailoring tables of Europe. These early economic successes prepared the city to one day become the future capital of East Pakistan and eventually Bangladesh.

Getting There and Away

Zia International Airport lies about 8km from the main embassy and commercial districts of Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara, and about twice that distance to Old Dhaka. At the time of research, the facility was getting a serious facelift, all of it funded by Bangladesh’s major mobile-phone operators. Nevertheless, the moment you step out of the air-conditioned terminal building for the first time, you’ll still be greeted with the shocking site of hundreds of people looking at you through a guarded security cage – welcome to your first sight of ‘the real Bangladesh’.

Getting Around

Overall, Dhaka is not a big city. But often what started as a 20-minute outward journey can turn into a two-hour return route. The terrible congestion suffered along the city’s key arteries means that it is effectively quite hard to plan ahead. It is best to leave at least an extra hour for any cross-city journeys.

Tourist Information

Bangladesh’s national tourism organisation is called the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, or Parjatan, meaning tourism, for short. The organisation was largely ineffective and its materials well out of date, and so travellers might find the services of a tour operator (see listings below) more efficient and helpful in the search for information and guidance while considering a journey to Bangladesh.

Where to Stay

Accommodation in the capital ranges from real budget accommodation to five-star services. The decision of where to stay depends on what you’re doing in Dhaka. If it’s business, and your contacts are in the Gulshan/Banani area, there are a lot of choices and some good deals to be had if you shop around. However, if you’re doing anything finance-related you might be heading to Motijheel frequently, which can make for a hectic city crossing both in the morning and on the way back. Budget travellers will find more options in the Motijheel area as well. Backpackers and adventurers should check out www.couchsurfing.com – a unique online project whereby members offer other members their couches/spare rooms or floors to crash on. Membership in the system is on a trust basis, and given the nature of Bangladeshi hospitality, this is a great way to find a free place to stay and have a local show you around at the same time.

Where to Eat

What follows is comprehensive coverage of Dhaka’s upmarket eating options. Not all the options serve the dishes authentically and every menu has weaker and stronger choices. Just because a restaurant has higher prices doesn’t always make the food more delicious, as there remains a sort of prestige associated with eating out in a fancy Dhaka restaurant. Nevertheless, there are some real standouts, and even a few places that manage to keep you coming back again and again, because of the great value and taste that they offer. These restaurants are recommended below.

Shopping

Bangladesh’s burgeoning middle class means there is now more shopping choice than ever before, especially in Dhaka’s main shopping areas. By far and away the most visible of these shops are the boutiques scattered around the city’s main shopping districts. These break down into three areas. The shops of Gulshan/Banani carry the highest-quality items but also at the highest prices. Dhanmondi has another concentration of upmarket shops but with more accessible prices. Finally, the city’s street markets carry plenty of overruns from the garment factories sold at rock-bottom prices.

Other Practicalities

HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank and DBBL have ATMs scattered around the city, but especially in the city’s business areas (Motijheel and Gulshan). See the relevant maps for the locations. You’ll also find a plethora of money-changing services in Gulshan, especially around the Gulshan 1 or Gulshan 2 circles.

What to see

Puran Dhaka (Old Dhaka):The highlight of any visit to Dhaka is to take in a serving of the pulsing vibrancy and extraordinary atmosphere of Puran Dhaka (Old Dhaka). With its winding alleyways and frenetic buzzing energy, there is something to see around every corner and a walk here proves to be quite the photographer’s delight. In order to get the most out of the experience, the services of the architects-turned-tour guides of the Urban Study Group are highly recommended (2/F, Hse 29, Rd 1, Dhanmondi; tel: 861 7854; mob: 01819 248408. Walks cost Tk500 per person). Below are some of the key sights.

Day Trips From Dhaka

Armed with a sense of adventure and a sincere desire to see the heart and soul of Bangladesh lying just beyond the city borders, there are plenty of day-trip options in and around Dhaka. Listed below are a few suggestions that only require a one day trip, although a few accommodation options are listed below for those seeking an overnight escape. Otherwise, you can check out Chapter 4, Dhaka Division, for more information.

Entertainment and Nightlife

Entertainment options are rather poorly advertised in Dhaka despite the fact there is an absolute plethora of events to attend. Newspapers, the ideal source for such events, tend to provide coverage only after the event has happened. A starting point is to ask your colleagues or Bangladeshi friends what events are going on in the city as the most interesting events tend only to be spread by word of mouth. Otherwise you could try browsing www.somewhereindhaka.net to see if they have anything that takes your fancy.

Practical Information Chapter on sale now!

Are you getting ready to go to Bangladesh? Then the "Practical Information" chapter is what you need to get ready.

Calling all shutterbugs: new photo book launch by Mahmud

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When to Visit

If you benefit from being able to choose exactly when to visit Bangladesh, then go in November or December, when the humid and heavy heat of summer finally begins to ebb away. The skies are blue, the air is clear and the sunsets spectacular, although the clear skies mean that you won’t see those dramatic monsoon clouds splayed across the landscape.

Highlights (Free to registered members!)

Bangladesh rarely makes any ‘top ten’ lists worldwide, but an often asked question comes more along the following lines: ‘Since I’m in Bangladesh, what are the top ten things I should see?’ Here’s a suggestion list to get you started.

Suggested Itineraries

With three days, take your first day exploring Old Dhaka, experiencing the frenetic energy offered by the historic capital. The second day can be spent doing a day trip out of the city: Savar or Sonargaon would be good, although a boat trip would be best – contact one of the local tour operators to see if you can join a trip that’s already been arranged. Finally, spend your last day like a Dhaka urbanite by checking out some of Bangladesh’s many handicrafts or textile shops, some of which do business under free-trade banners.

Tourist Information and Tour Operators (Free!)

Travellers might find the services of a tour operator more efficient and helpful in the search for information and guidance while considering a journey to Bangladesh.