Must-see attractions in Bangladesh

Set amidst gorgeous countryside, the vault-roofed rouge sandcastle of Kantanagar Temple, also known locally as Kantaji, is a stunning piece of religious…

The hulking 20m-high remains of a 1300-year-old red-brick stupa form the central attraction of the vast monastery complex at Somapuri Vihara. Shaped like…

Built in 1459 (the same year Khan Jahan Ali died), the famous Shait Gumbad Mosque is the largest and most magnificent traditional mosque in the country…

This gem of a museum is tucked away in an unassuming building on a quiet street, but can easily take up half a day of your time. Founded in 1910 with the…

One of the oldest rajbaris in Bangladesh (dating from the early 1700s), the magnificent but dilapidated Natore Rajbari was once the nerve-centre of…

This wonderful patch of tropical semi-evergreen forest, around 8km east of Srimangal, provides some lovely forest walks and also your best chance of…

The flamboyant and delightfully maintained Tajhat Palace is arguably one of the finest rajbaris in Bangladesh. The palace was constructed in the 19th…

About 750m beyond the turn-off for Darasbari Mosque, turn right at the bus stand and keep walking for around 250m until you see a sign directing you off…

Running calmly through the centre of Old Dhaka, the Buriganga River is the muddy artery of Dhaka and the very lifeblood of both this city and the nation…

Clouds of incense and a bursting paintbox of colours signal a welcome to so-called Hindu Street. Lined on either side with old houses, garlands of lurid…

This fascinating and atmospheric shrine of the revered 14th-century Sufi saint Shah Jalal is one of Bangladesh's biggest pilgrimage sites. Housing a…

For both foreigners as well as Bangladeshi tourists, the white onion-domed shrine of musician and poet Lalon Shah is the main reason for visiting Kushtia…

Possibly the grandest of Mahasthangarh's historic sites, this lofty and multi-tiered red-brick pavilion dates back to around the 7th century, although it…

Commissioned in 1750 by Raja Ramnath, a local landlord, this placid and expansive reservoir is nearly a kilometre long and sits at the heart of the…

Built in 1823, the towering Shiva Temple sits at the entrance to Puthia village, overlooking a pond. It’s an excellent example of the pancha-ratna (five…

Built between 1493 and 1526, the well-preserved ‘Small Golden Mosque’ is oddly named, given that it’s actually jet black with just patches of terracotta…

Particularly atmospheric in the evenings, when dramatically lit and boldly painted launches depart from adjoining ghats, the piers are a wonderful place…

Arguably the most startling monument in Puthia village is the Govinda Temple, located inside the palace, on the left-hand side of the inner courtyard…

A place of active worship, Khan Jahan Ali's Tomb is the only monument in Bagerhat that still retains its original cupolas (domed ceilings). The cenotaph…

This well-kept building and garden complex was the family home of revered 19th-century Bengali poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt (1824–73), who is known to…