Old Dhaka

Old Dhaka Hasn’t Been Cleaned Up for Tourists, and That Is the Point

Haji Biryani has been operating on Nazimuddin Road in Old Dhaka since the 1940s. They make one thing – kacchi biryani, mutton or beef slow-cooked with rice in a sealed clay pot over several hours – and they sell out by early afternoon most days. The queue outside in the morning is mostly local. The biryani costs around 350-500 BDT for a generous portion. This is what Old Dhaka offers that the rest of the city doesn’t: food and places that exist because locals need them, not because foreigners photograph them.

Old Dhaka is not easy. The streets are narrow and permanently busy with rickshaws, motorcycles, pedestrians, and occasional livestock moving through alleys that were designed for a pre-motorised city. The noise is continuous. In June it can be 35 degrees Celsius and ninety percent humidity. Getting lost – which happens – means negotiating directions with people who have no particular reason to expect a foreign visitor.

For travelers who find this appealing rather than off-putting, it is one of the most alive places in South Asia.

What to See

Lalbagh Fort is the most significant historical site in Old Dhaka. Construction began in 1678 under Mughal Governor Shaista Khan, who abandoned the project after his daughter Pari Bibi died during its construction, considering the site cursed. The fort complex contains the Tomb of Pari Bibi (decorated with marble, onyx, and frescoes), a mosque, and the Hammam (audience hall and bathhouse). The combination of Mughal architecture and the specific story of its incomplete construction is more interesting than most fortress visits. Admission is around 200 BDT for foreign visitors.

Ahsan Manzil (the Pink Palace) on the Buriganga riverfront was built in the 19th century as the residence of the Nawabs of Dhaka. The pink stucco exterior is more striking from outside than within, but the interior museum covering the Nawab family and colonial Bengal is better than expected. Allow 90 minutes.

Sadarghat River Terminal is one of the largest river ports in the world. Hundreds of ferries and wooden launches connect from here to destinations across the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta – a system of waterways that is the primary transport network for much of southern Bangladesh. Standing on the bank watching the traffic is worth coming for independently of any plan to board a boat. Go in the afternoon for the best light.

Star Mosque (Tara Masjid), off Armanitola Street, is an early 19th-century mosque later embellished with star-shaped mosaic tiles using imported Chinese porcelain. No two tiles are identical. It is active, so visit outside prayer times and dress modestly.

Eating

Beyond Haji Biryani: fuchka (the local version of pani puri, crispy shells filled with tamarind water, potato, and chickpea) is sold from carts throughout the area at near-zero cost and is inevitably eaten in multiples. Old Dhaka also has specialist streets for specific foods – look for sweets shops selling mishti doi (sweetened yogurt) and syrupy roshogolla.

Getting Around

Rickshaws are the practical transport option within Old Dhaka. Agree on a price before getting in; most trips within the area should cost 30-80 BDT. CNGs (auto-rickshaws) are faster for longer distances. Morning and evening rush hours extend journey times dramatically; build slack into any schedule.

Stay in Gulshan, Banani, or Baridhara for comfortable accommodation – these northern neighbourhoods have international hotels. Old Dhaka has limited tourist accommodation. A CNG from Gulshan to Lalbagh Fort takes 30-45 minutes on a normal day. The distance is only about 12 kilometres.