Dhaka Travel Guide
With more than 21 million inhabitants, Dhaka is unquestionably a megacity. Known as the City of Mosques and the Rickshaw Capital of the World, the capital of Bangladesh pulses with energy, colour and life, its streets crowded and chaotic yet somehow welcoming to visitors at every turn.
Dhaka's history stretches back centuries. The area was once ruled by local Hindu and Buddhist dynasties before coming under Muslim sultanates and later the Mughal Empire, which made Dhaka an important provincial capital in the 17th century. The British took control in the late 18th century, and after a period as part of Pakistan, Bangladesh declared its independence in 1971, with Dhaka emerging as the bustling capital of a new nation.
Today, Dhaka is a modern hub of culture, industry, commerce, and politics, yet a visit to Old Dhaka offers a glimpse of a more traditional way of life, with lively roadside bazaars, crowded docks, and narrow lanes standing in contrast to the gleaming shopping malls and high-end restaurants of neighbourhoods such as Gulshan and Banani.
The city's rich heritage is reflected in its remarkable religious and historic sites, from the Baitul Mukarram Mosque and the Saat Masjid to the Ramna Kali Mandir. Museums such as the Liberation War Museum, the National Museum, and the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum provide insight into Bangladesh's recent history, while other highlights include a stroll along the Sadarghat River Front or a picnic in the lush Baldha Garden.