Attractions

The excellent National Museum, sprawling over several floors, begins with the geological formation of Bangladesh, whisks you through a rundown of the nation’s flora and fauna, saunters through a Buddhist and Hindu p…

The half-completed Lalbagh Fort and its well-tended gardens are an excuse to escape Old Dhaka’s hustle and bustle for an hour or so. The fort is particularly atmospheric in the early morning light. Construction bega…

The cool turquoise waters beside the China Clay Hills (really little more than low mounds) make for an extremely photogenic spot, and a lovely place for a tree-shaded picnic, though the main reason to venture this f…

Spread over 10 acres, the rajbari here is a special estate, even in disrepair. The main structure is bedecked with Corinthian columns, high parapets and floral scrolls in plaster, while the grounds encompass several…

Constructed almost entirely between 1895 and 1905 on a small segment of the ancient capital city, the tiny settlement of Painam Nagar consists of a single street, lined with around 50 (now dilapidated) mansions buil…

Housed in a beautiful whitewashed colonial-era building, this small museum chronicles the 1971 War of Independence, one of the 20th century’s more deadly wars. Though it might not make for happy holidays, this museu…

Dating from 1872, the must-see Pink Palace was built on the site of an old French factory by Nawab Abdul Ghani, the city’s wealthiest zamindar (landowner). Some 16 years after the palace’s construction, it was damag…

Built in 1901, this stunning rajbari (Raj-era mansion) is an appropriate building for a folk-art museum, and was undergoing a massive renovation at the time of research. When finished it will be full of handicrafts …

In 1963 the Pakistanis commissioned Louis Kahn, a world-renowned American architect, to design a regional capitol for East Pakistan. Due to the liberation movement and ensuing war, the National Assembly Building was…

The thin stretch of parkland on the waterfront at the western edge of town makes up one of the most enjoyable public spaces in this part of Bangladesh. Late every afternoon, locals take full advantage by decamping d…