Travel guide

Dhaka

ঢাকা · Dhaka district, Dhaka Division

Places to visit

Ahsan Manzil

The riverfront residence of the Nawabs of Dhaka on the Buriganga river; now a museum. Also known as the 'Pink Palace' for its colour.

Dhakeshwari National Temple

A temple to the goddess Dhakeshwari — the 'goddess of Dhaka' — traditionally founded in the 12th century under Sena king Ballal Sen; state-owned, it holds the distinction of being Bangladesh's 'National Temple'. It is counted among the shakta pithas and, since the destruction of Ramna Kali Mandir in 1971, is the country's most important and largest Hindu place of worship. The national flag is raised daily outside its main premises.

Lalbagh Fort

An incomplete Mughal fort begun in the 17th century by Prince Azam Shah. Known for the tomb of Pari Bibi, the audience hall and Mughal-era water tanks.

National Martyrs' Memorial

The national memorial at Savar honouring those martyred in the Liberation War; its seven red-and-green-tinted concrete towers form the iconic silhouette.

Star Mosque

A mosque built in the first half of the 19th century by Mirza Golam Pir and redecorated in 1926 by Ali Jan Bepari with blue star-motif Chinitikri tiles; two more domes were added in 1987. With its five domes set in a narrow Old Dhaka lane it is one of the most photogenic religious buildings in Dhaka and has appeared on the Bangladeshi 100-taka note.