Dhaka is the capital of the country of Bangladesh and offers a host of attractions and activities for the discerning traveler. The country offers a fascinating display of Muslim architecture created by Mughal stalwarts like Shaista Khan and there are also modern developments like shopping malls and theme parks to complement the scenario of Muslim buildings beside cultural festivals to offer tourists a sense of local and Islamic culture.
With a wide range of activities to choose from, we’ve narrowed it down for you with the 10 best things to do in Dhaka here.
1. Aparajeyo Bangla
Bangladesh was formerly a part of Pakistan and known as East Pakistan and got independence from the country to assert its own nationhood, language and identity. The Aparajeyo Bangla is a sculpture located on the campus of the popular Dhaka University that commemorates the liberation war of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971 and is an ideal tourist attraction for visitors interested in the history and wars of the country. The name means Unvanquished Bengal or that Bengal or Bangladesh cannot be defeated and conquered. The sculpture also offers an idea of the fine art of the country and a documentary film was shot based on this theme.
Aparajeyo Bangla
Address: Dhaka University, Nilkhet Rd, 1000 Dhaka, Dhaka District
2. Basundhara Mall
The mall shopping culture has come to third world countries like India and Thailand and Bangladesh being a close neighbor is no exception. Basundhara Mall is the largest shopping center in South Asia and offers a modern and vibrant shopping experience in a bid to spice up third world country urban environments. As typical of shopping malls, the Basundhara Mall also contains a CinePlex to showcase films from around the world and even the name of the shopping mall means something like the globe or the planet. Food outlets are also available along with stores selling a variety of items like electronics and paraphernalia all under one roof.
Basundhara Mall
Address: Bashundhara City Shopping Complex, 1215 Dhaka, Bangladesh
Website: Basundhara Mall
3. Shishu Park
This is a park for children located in the Shahbag area of Dhaka. It is the first amusement park for children in the country, like shopping malls for adults. The park is maintained by the Bangladesh tourism agency and offers entertainment for children. There are various rides available, typical of amusement parks, like merry go rounds and wheel train and wheel rides. The park does get a lot of visitors, particularly during the Eid celebrations, and the government plans to revamp the park to make it more attractive and user-friendly. The Bangladesh Air Force has also contributed a fighter jet to the park and the park is considered a profit making venture.
Shishu Park
Address: 1000, Shahbag Foot Over Bridge, Dhaka
Facebook: Shishu Park
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4. Sonargaon
This is a ruined area near Dhaka and gives an idea of the Islamic culture and Islamic heritage of the country. Literally meaning the City or Village of Gold, the area offers travelers the chance to experience countryside near Dhaka and archaeology and adventure. There are mosques and also ruined gorgeous mansions like Raj baris or palatial buildings of rich rulers and owners. There is also a pond around the small village and an interesting museum of local folk art. The scattering of ruins and villages make this an ideal experience for ruin tourism similar to ancient forts and palaces in India.
Sonargaon
Website: Sonargaon
Tip from tour guide
Sonargaon boasts Banglar Tajmahal, a scaled copy of the original Taj Mahal (a Mughal mausoleum located in Agra, India). It is one of the oldest capitals of Bengal, with magnificent ancient buildings and monuments, and home to a museum that captures and preserves the traditions and culture of the people of Bangladesh. The Folk Art Museum, or Folk Art and Crafts Museum is located on a picturesque 50-hectare (123.4-acre) piece of land featuring breathtaking landscapes, peaceful artificial lakes and ponds, and of course the structures that make up the Folk Art Museum complex. Note that the museum is closed on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Government holidays. You can also explore Panam City (Panam Nagar) to see the beautifully decorated buildings constructed around the end of the 18th century, and the Goaldi Mosque, which was built in 1519. Panam City was an ancient city, the archaeological ruins of which remain at Sonargaon. It is one of the earliest cities in Bangladesh that is still standing. The historic city includes several Mughal monuments— such as the Sonakanda River Fort, the Panch Pir Mazar Shrine, and Ibrahim's and Abdul Hamid's Mosque. British colonial architecture preserved in Sonargaon includes the Ananda Mohan Piddar House and other street-front houses. For travelers making their way along the 2,500 km long (1,600 mi) Grand Trunk Road from Peshawar in the Hindu Kush, Sonargaon marked the end of the line. If you wish to explore further, board a wooden boat (with an engine) to join the cruises on the Meghna River and check out the remote island villages of the widest river in Bangladesh.
Dhaka Tour Guide
Kawsar Ahmed Milon
I was a student of University of Dhaka. I was from the department of International Relations and also completed my post-graduation in Tourism and Hotel management. I have already guided more than 65 tourists from different countries. I am born and brought up in Dhaka. So I am familiar with this city since my birth. And I myself is a traveler and love to explore places. Though I haven't got that... Read more
Tours by Kawsar ahmed
5. Lalbagh Fort
The fort is a specimen of the Mughal or Muslim culture of the country, quite atmospheric with gardens, and offers peace and tranquility to escape the traffic and bustle of Dhaka city. The fort was constructed by the son of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and later by Shaista Khan and the fort even contains a mausoleum for the daughter of the architect called Pari Bibi. The fort also contains an auditorium and mosque beside a museum of Mughal era miniature paintings, coins, carpets and calligraphy. Besides swords and firearms, the fort also contains a bathhouse and bathing tank typical of Queen Baths in foreign countries.
Lalbagh Fort
Address: Lalbagh Rd, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Website: Lalbagh Fort
Tip from tour guide
Lalbagh Fort is one of the key tourist attractions of Dhaka City. This is an unfinished Mughal fort from the 17th century, the construction of which was started by a Mughal prince who was the governor of Dhaka at that time. But after he left, the construction was not finished by the next governor in charge because of a family tragedy. Nevertheless, the fort's massive size and the structures inside bring many local tourists to the fort every day. Located in the Lalbagh area in Old Dhaka and also known as Fort Aurangabad, it is the most popular and renowned fort and a great art signature of the Mughal Empire in Bangladesh. It is situated by the bank of the river Buriganga in rich red soil. For anyone visiting Bangladesh, Lalbagh Fort is one of the must-visit attractions. If you want to see the true face of Bangladesh, you must also check out the other attractions in Old Dhaka such as Dhaka University, Star Mosque, Armenian Church, Shankhari Bazar, and Ahsan Manzil Museum. Visit the shipyard in Dhaka too. One of my guests, who was from the UK, was surprised by the shipyard because it takes people back in time to 100 years ago in the UK.
6. Liberation War Museum
The museum commemorates the liberation war of Bangladesh and independence of the country from Pakistan and can be quite graphic with skulls and bones typical of the war museum in Cambodia about ethnic genocide. Cultural events are also held at the museum beside the presence of a tea stall and book shop for the liberation history of the country. There are artifacts and exhibits and even contributions from foreign countries like Japan and America for preservation and upkeep of historical museums and share the cultural and political heritage of the country. The liberation war museum asserts the identity of Bangladesh as a unique Muslim country and not a part of Pakistan as East Pakistan.
Liberation War Museum
Address: 5 Segun Bagicha, 1000 Dhaka City, Dhaka
Website: Liberation War Museum
7. Pink Palace
This is an architectural wonder in the city of Dhaka and gives an idea of the lifestyle of the Nawabs or Muslim rulers of the city and country. The official residence of the Nawabs of the country, the palace was destroyed by a tornado but has been restored and is now a museum displaying photos, portraits and Islamic history of the country. British ruler Lord Curzon is also said to have stayed at the palace that occurs on the site of a former French factory. The palace has been constructed in the revivalist mode of architecture and is painted pink and designated as a national museum and popular tourist attraction of Dhaka city.
Pink Palace
Address: 2/3 Islampur Rd, Dhaka, Bangladesh
8. Dhaka International Folk Fest
Bangladesh is not just history and ruins, they also have a rich and vibrant culture as denoted by the popular folk music festival that occurs in the city along with other cultural festivals like the literature festival and the Bengal classical music festival. Folk music is a big tradition of Bengal region and prominent among the folk music here is the mystic music of the Bauls who derive their culture from the Sufi and liberated tradition and also popular among Hindu groups like in West Bengal. The folk music festival features not only artists from the country but also from the subcontinent like Baul singers Paban Das Baul and Parvathy Baul from West Bengal and Abida Parveen, singer of Sufi music from Pakistan.
Dhaka International Folk Fest
Website: Dhaka International Folk Fest
Tip from tour guide
If you'd like to see more cultural events apart from Dhaka International Folk Fest, you can find a lot of them at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. I think very soon, Dhaka will be famous for its cultural events. If you visit in the evening, you can always catch events at Dhaka University.
9. Dhakeshwari Temple
This temple for Hindu Goddess Dhakeshwari or Durga popular for the Durga Puja in West Bengal has been declared a national monument in the country. The temple has assumed significance in the country after the destruction of a similar Kali temple in the city by the Pakistan army and now holds sociocultural activities like the popular Durga Puja of West Bengal.
Dhakeshwari Temple
Address: Dhakeshwari Road, 1211 Dhaka, Bangladesh
10. Sat Gumbad Mosque
This is the finest specimen of Islamic culture and religion of the country and has been constructed by Mughal architect Shaista Khan with seven large round domes and is a wonderful and peaceful setting and a popular tourist attraction of Dhaka.
Sat Gumbad Mosque
Address: Bagerhat-Khulna Rd, 9300 Bagerhat
Dhaka is not just about Islamic culture
Dhaka offers not just ruins and palaces, but there are also cultural activities like festivals and parks. It comes across as a more liberal Muslim city with strong foreign style music culture like the music of rock icon James and one can even attend his concerts here or abroad. There is also a park and shopping mall culture like in India where people hang out in parks and malls and one can also take part in these activities for a local experience.
Tip from tour guide
Lively Old Dhaka is known for historic buildings like the Mughal-era Lalbagh Fort, set amid green lawns, and Dhakeshwari Mandir, a 12th-century Hindu temple. Period furnishings are on display at the Ahsan Manzil Museum, a vast palace with a pink facade. Street vendors sell breads and sweets, while Shankhari Bazar is a popular spot to find bangles, spices, and textiles. River boat trips depart from the Sadarghat area.
If you're a solo woman traveler, you can explore all of Dhaka city by yourself. But be careful outside the city, such as in the Hill Tract area. Within the city, you can use Google Maps or ask the locals to guide you.
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