Sights in Dhaka
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Shankharia Bazar
With a crash of drums, a cloud of incense and a bursting paintbox of colours welcome to Shankharia Bazar, otherwise known as Hindu St. Lined on either side with ancient houses, garlands of lurid orange marigolds, and dark doorways leading to matchbox-sized shops and workshops, this is by far the most photogenic street in Old Dhaka. While exploring the bazaar keep one eye on the upper levels, where many of the houses have beautiful carvings.
The shankharis (Hindu artisans) busy themselves creating kites, gravestones, wedding-hats, jewellery, and bangles carved out of conch shells. Shankharis first came here over 300 years ago, but these days their art is slowly dying out. …
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National Assembly building
In 1963 the Pakistanis commissioned Louis Kahn, a world-renowned American architect, to design a regional capital for East Pakistan. Due to the liberation movement and ensuing war, the National Assembly building wasn't completed until 1982. The building often features in books on modern architecture, and is regarded as among Kahn's finest works.
It's a huge assembly of concrete cylinders and rectangular boxes, sliced open with bold, multi-storey circular and triangular apertures instead of windows, and is probably only considered attractive by fans of grim '70's architecture. It is not usually possible to approach the building too closely. On the opposite side of the road…
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Lalbagh Fort
Along with Sadarghat, Lalbagh Fort is one of the big hitters of Old Dhaka. Unlike the waterfront, which is full of raw energy, the fort is a slightly melancholy step back in the misty Mughal past of emperors and princesses. It’s particularly atmospheric in the early morning light.
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Sadarghat
Running calmly through the centre of Old Dhaka, the Buriganga River is the muddy artery of Dhaka and the very life blood of both this city and nation. To explore it from the deck of a small boat is to see Bangladesh at its most raw and grittiest. The panorama of river life is fascinating. Triple-towered ferries leer over thousands of bustling ant-like canoes. Country boats bump off the dirty hulks of domineering cargo and fishing boats.
On the grease-and-mud stained foreshores, you'll find children fishing with homemade nets in the lee of rusting tankers. Further out, repair men busy themselves crashing, bashing and scrubbing ship hulls while floating on planks of wood. B…
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Sitara Mosque
About 350m north of the Armenian church, you’ll come to Sitara Mosque, one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Its striking mosaic decoration makes it look like your granny’s best teacups. The mosque dates from the early 18th century, but has been radically altered. It was originally built in the typical Mughal style, with four corner towers. Around 50 years ago a local businessman financed its redecoration with Japanese and English china-tiles, and the addition of a new veranda. If you look hard you can see tiles illustrated with pictures of Mt Fuji. Non-Muslims are normally welcome outside of prayer time, but you should dress appropriately and women should…
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Liberation War Museum
Liberation War Museum, chronicling one of the 20th century’s more deadly wars, is spread out over two floors and has been put together with enormous pride and respect. The display on the 1971 War of Independence is arranged chronologically, with English and Bengali newspaper reports, photographs and various memorabilia. The displays start off tame enough but gradually become more graphic before culminating in a room full of personal items (each of which comes with a short story on the owner’s life); a large pile of human skulls and bones; and some very disturbing photos of rotting corpses with bound hands being eaten by dogs and vultures. Though the displays might not ma…
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Dhakeswari Temple
About 1km north of Lalbagh Fort, up a short alley off Dhakeswari Rd, is the city's main Hindu temple, Dhakeswari Temple , dating from the 12th century. There are two sets of buildings. The one often seen in tourist photos consists of four adjoining rekha temples (buildings with a square sanctum on a raised platform with mouldings on the walls) covered by tall pyramidal roofs of the typical curvilinear bangla (bamboo-thatched hut with curved roof) style.
It's nothing special, but it is colourful and you are likely to find some long-haired sadhus (itinerant holy men) hanging around smoking ganja.
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National Museum
A visit to the National Museum is a good way of downloading information about Bangladesh. Sprawling over several floors it begins at the beginning with the geological formation of Bangladesh, whisks you through a rundown of the nation’s flora and fauna, saunters through a Buddhist and Hindu past, and brings you bang up to date with the War of Liberation and the creation of the modern state. Some of the exhibits are a little stale – the stuffed birds are looking more stuffed and less bird with every passing year, and it’s amazing how badly lit, displayed and labelled everything is.
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Suhrawardi Park
Beginning near the Old High Court and stretching all the way to the National Museum, Suhrawardi Park covers an enormous area. This was once a racecourse, where both the Bangladeshi Declaration of Independence and the surrender of Pakistani occupation forces took place in 1971. At night the park turns into an open-air market and also attracts hundreds of homeless who, living by the ‘safety in numbers’ motto, set up camp each evening on the pavements outside. A few unsavoury characters mean you should keep your wits about you at night around here.
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Dhaka University
Dating from 1921, Dhaka University has some fine old buildings. North of the Engineering University campus is the British Council Library and further north, on Kazi Nazrul Islam Ave, is the Institute of Arts & Crafts, which has an art gallery.
On the main campus, south of the Old High Court, Curzon Hall is the university's architectural masterpiece and science faculty. It's a fine example of the European-Mughal style of building erected after the first partition of Bengal in 1905. The red-brick building has eye-catching detail, and an elegant façade.
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Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection
The peach-pink Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection, is the soul of this now almost extinct community. The church, which dates from 1781, is an oasis of tranquillity in the heart of the crowded city. During the course of the Liberation War, the silver setting and organ were stolen and many of the graves were desecrated. Mr Martin, the caretaker, has done much to restore the church, and delights in giving personal tours. Note that you can’t get in without him unlocking the door for you.
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Khan Mohammed Mirdha’s Mosque
Some 500m west of Lalbagh Fort is Khan Mohammed Mirdha’s Mosque. Erected in 1706, this Mughal structure is stylistically similar to Lalbagh Fort. It is built on a raised platform, up a flight of 25 steps. Three squat domes, with pointed minarets at each corner, dominate the rectangular roof. To get a good view of this walled mosque, enter the main gate off the main road. Unfortunately, unless you’re here during prayer times (around 1pm), you’ll probably find the gate locked.
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Sat Gumbad Mosque
Dating from 1680, Sat Gumbad Mosque is a white-washed onion dome mosque, and the finest example of the pure Mughal-style mosque in Dhaka.
Unfortunately, few travellers see Sat Gumbad because of its somewhat remote location. Head north from Dhanmondi on Mirpur Rd, turn left through Asad Gate and go to the end of the road (1.5km). Then begin asking; it's nearby, towards the river. Women are admitted if appropriately dressed.
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Dharmarajikha Buddhist Monastery
The largest Buddhist cultural centre in the country is the Dharmarajikha Buddhist Monastery, located east of Sayedabad Rd. It contains an enormous bronze statue and one marble statue of Buddha. There's a peaceful pond here too; bring a book and get some reading done. The monastery is open during daylight hours (vague, but true). Take off your shoes before entering the temple and don't take photos of shrines without permission.
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Baldha Gardens
At the eastern end of Tipu Sultan Rd, and a block south of Hatkhola Rd, the Baldha Gardens in Wari provide a nice break from the rest of the sightseeing you’ll be doing in the area. The two walled enclosures, Cybele and Psyche, were once the private gardens of Narendra Narayan Roy, a wealthy zamindar, whose grandson gave them to the government in 1962 as a tribute to his family.
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Hussaini Dalan
A block north of the central jail is Hussaini Dalan that looks more like a Hindu rajbari (landowner’s palace) than an Islamic building. It was built in the 18th century, near the end of the Mughal period, as the house of the imam of the Shi’ia community. The Ashura festival, on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, is celebrated here.
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Nazira Bazar
For a souvenir of Bangladesh, you can't beat rickshaw art. The place to find this art is in Nazira Bazar on Bangsal Rd, popularly known as Bicycle St. The street begins 700m south of Gulistan bus station, heading west from North-South Rd, a block south of the well-marked Hotel Al-Razzaque International.
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Ahsan Manzil
About 600m west of Sadarghat is the must-see Ahsan Manzil, one of the most interesting buildings in Dhaka. Dating from 1872, Ahsan Manzil was built on the site of an old French factory by Nawab Abdul Ghani, the city's wealthiest zamindar (landowner).
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Botanical Gardens
The shady, tranquil botanical gardens, stretch over 40 hectares and contain over 1000 species of local and foreign plants. It’s a nice respite from the city’s mass of humanity. In the distance you’ll see the Turag River.
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Baitul Mukarram Mosque
West of Motijheel on Topkhana Rd, the modern Baitul Mukarram Mosque is designed in the style of the holy Ka'aba of Mecca. Non-Muslims can normally enter outside of prayer time. The boisterous market in the surrounding streets is probably more interesting.
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Mosque of Hazrat Haji Khawja Shahbaz
Near the Old High Court is the Mosque of Hazrat Haji Khawja Shahbaz, a popular shrine dedicated to a rich merchant who devoted much of his energy and money to helping the poor of Dhaka.
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Old High Court
The imposing Old High Court, once the governor's residence, is just north of Dhaka University's main campus. It's the finest example in Dhaka of the European Renaissance style.
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Christian Cemetery
Just opposite is the whimsical Christian Cemetery, which, as well as all the expected British names, contains a large number of Portuguese graves.
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Ramna Park
Northeast of Suhrawardi Park is Ramna Park, which is well tended and has a boating lake.
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Mausoleum for Three Martyrs
Near the Old High Court is the newer Mausoleum for Three Martyrs.
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