Lalbagh Fort
An unfinished 17th-century Mughal fort complex in Old Dhaka, with a mosque, a tomb and gardens. Its calm green courtyards offer relief from the busy streets around.
Dhaka
Rickshaws, crowded bazaars, Lalbagh Fort and Old Dhaka's mosques and river ghats fill this busy capital, which is also the main gateway.
Attractive locations
Ahsan Manzil
A grand pink palace beside the Buriganga river, once the home of the Nawabs of Dhaka. It is now a museum with period rooms, furnishings and a distinctive dome.
Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban
The National Parliament House, designed by architect Louis Kahn, is a bold complex of concrete and brick with huge geometric openings. It is one of the best-known modern buildings in South Asia.
Star Mosque
A 19th-century mosque in Old Dhaka whose walls and domes are covered in mosaics of china tile, with star patterns. Visitors should dress modestly and respect prayer times.
Dhakeshwari Temple
The country's national Hindu temple, in the old part of Dhaka, with courtyards and several shrines. It is a centre of worship, especially during Durga Puja.
Liberation War Museum
A museum about the 1971 Liberation War, with photographs, documents and personal items telling the story of Bangladesh's independence. It is a good place to understand the country's modern history.
Bangladesh National Museum
The national museum, in the Shahbag area, with galleries on art, natural history, culture and the independence struggle. It is a convenient stop for an overview of Bengali heritage.
Airports
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport DAC
It is about 13 km in a straight line from Dhaka.
Barisal Airport BZL
It is about 104 km in a straight line from Dhaka.
Jessore Airport JSR
It is about 140 km in a straight line from Dhaka.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Bangladesh page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan17.7 °C9 mm
- Feb21.8 °C20 mm
- Mar26.8 °C50 mm
- Apr29.6 °C149 mm
- May29.6 °C292 mm
- Jun28.8 °C382 mm
- Jul28.3 °C437 mm
- Aug28.2 °C359 mm
- Sep27.8 °C283 mm
- Oct26.3 °C185 mm
- Nov22.7 °C38 mm
- Dec18.9 °C18 mm
Driest months: Jan, Feb, Dec. Wettest months: Jun, Jul, Aug.
Costs
Prices here are about 25% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
culture
Victory Day (16 December)
A parade and celebrations at national level take place.
culture
Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year)
Across Dhaka, bright parades and fairs are held.
culture
Victory Day (16 December)
A parade and celebrations at national level take place.
Who can help
Emergency
999 for police, ambulance and fire.
local government
Tourist Police Bangladesh
Helps with: Police unit set up to give security to tourists and protect tourist spots. Its website has a tourist helpline page and a 'Please Help Me' button item. Its phone numbers could not be confirmed here.
Who qualifies: Tourists, local and foreign, at tourist spots in Bangladesh.
local government
National emergency service 999
Helps with: Bangladesh's national emergency service number, shown on the Bangladesh Tourism Board site together with 333 for government information and services and 102 for the fire service hotline.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Bangladesh facing an emergency, including visitors.
Phone: 999
local government
Bangladesh Tourism Board
Helps with: Bangladesh's national tourism organisation. Its contact page gives an office address in Dhaka, a phone number and an email address for tourism enquiries.
Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Bangladesh or planning a trip there.
Phone: +88-02-41024234
Email: [email protected]
Address: Paryatan Bhaban, E-5 C/1, West Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Administrative Area, Dhaka 1207
ngo
Bangladesh Red Crescent Society
Helps with: Bangladesh's national Red Crescent society. Its headquarters in Dhaka lists a main phone line, a hotline open 9 am to 4 pm and a blood hotline.
Who qualifies: People in Bangladesh who need its humanitarian, disaster or blood services.
Phone: +88 02 48310188
Address: 684-686 Red Crescent Sarak, Bara Maghbazar, Dhaka 1217
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Bangladesh
Helps with: The UN migration agency, working in Bangladesh since 1998 on migration management, crisis response and international cooperation. It is based at UN House in Dhaka.
Who qualifies: Migrants and partners working on migration in Bangladesh. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +88 02 55051751
Address: UN House, House 1, Road 86 & 88, Gulshan 2, Dhaka 1212