ground rideyou’llnever forget. andintellect, passionandpoverty, loveof art andhate. Whatever happens,thisisonefair- becomingacauldron stopsbeingaterrifying rideandstarts and whenthathappensDhaka tomove manycharms,butsoonerorlater youwillstart toitsbeat you’ll fallforDhaka’s spent seeingthehaves oftheworldincrystalclarity.Wecan’tguarantee andhave-nots andtheswishrestaurantsbetween thefilthyriverbanks ofGulshanisaday ofOldDhaka alifetimethat itwouldtake toknowthismega-city’severy mood.Adayspentalternating overwhelmed isalwaysthesame. Sightsandexperiencescomeatyousothickfast 600,000-plus rickshaws,whichthrobwithcolourandrestlessness even whengridlocked. moves,Nothing seemstostandstill.Even theart paradedonthebackofcity’ssea churn togetherintoafrenzy –itisanurbanmeltingpotbubblingover. ofcollective activity wildly spinningfairground rideburstingwithenergy. ofindividualpursuitsconstantly Millions some foolish enoughtocomewithinitsfuriousgrasp.Aroundandarounditsendsthem,like is Dhaka more thanjustacity,itisgiant whirlpoolthatsucksinanythingandanyone Dhaka 46 © LonelyPlanetPublications „ It doesn’tmatter howmanytimesyouexperiencethiscity,thesensationofbeingutterly

„ „ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS

TELEPHONE CODE: 02 Beingtrappedinanhour-long trafficjam Beingcompletely engulfed bythechaos Exploringthe echoinghallsofthetreasure- on Old Dhaka’s Gettingnoisyandcolourful Shieldingyoureyesfromthehorrorsofwar Staringdumbstruckatthepanoramaoflife consisting entirely of that is storey insightintotheculturalheritage of filled Hindu Street Museum at theheart-stirring boat ridefrom and deathunfoldinginfrontofyouona minute ofit! National Museum Old Dhaka Old Dhaka ( p55) ( p52) Sadarghat ( p50 ) –andloving every LiberationWar rickshaws 5 , multi- a ( p55), ( p50 ) (p54)

„ POPULATION: 12.5 MILLION Museum National Dhaka Old War Museum Liberation Sadarghat Hindu Street DHAKA 47 ), which is also an important commercial an important is also commercial ), which Between 5pm and 8pm the traffic jams Most major arteries run north–south. run north–south. arteries Most major An important Old Dhaka road connecting by around Dhaka is complicated Travelling shaws. Friday morning is the best time for commer- wandering around – although few public of open, a number cial businesses are Some can be visited. and tourist sites markets when traffic in the afternoon, on shops reopen picks up. the streets the fact that the main roads are known by the the fact that the main roads are through they pass, which the areas names of Adding to by their official name. and rarely and lanes the confusion is that side streets the same take name as the nearby main often bus or your rickshaw, of road. If the driver baby taxi doesn’t (auto-rickshaw) speak off giving sectionsEnglish, you’ll be better only the city or landmarks, and addresses of there. get you after is almost al- phenomenal and walking are Around Dhanmondi, which ways quicker. the traffic the jams, sees of about the worst buses, and rickshaws cars bag of is a mixed motorised in Old Dhaka, where whereas banned, the traffic jams consist are vehicles rick- of upon hundreds hundreds of entirely and many of the swishest shops. swishest the and many of Starting in the east these include DIT Rd/ Kazi Airport Rd, Suhrawardi Ave, Shaheed Begum the shorter Rokeya Nazrul Islam Ave, The airport is on Sarani, and Mirpur Rd. Airport Rd between Uttara and to its north the city to its south. of the rest is North-South Rd, head- and the central area Rd past the main post ing south from Kakrail office and the Gulistan (Fulbaria) bus station into Old Dhaka, and leading almost all the The intersection way to the . North-South and Fulbaria Rds is known as of Gulistan Crossing. points of interest for tourists, but not many not many but for tourists, interest of points city ‘modern’ larger The much facilities. heart 2km to the north. The begins about Centralof Dhaka is Motijheel (moh-tee- jeel the include landmarks here district. Major (Lotus Flower National Stadium, the Shapla Fountain) Rd and Circle on Inner Circular north of Court, just the Raj-era Supreme Beyond the suburbs, Dhaka University. are and the upmarket including the cantonment Banani, Gulshan and Baridhara. of quarters restau- the best have These quarters three embassies the rants, guesthouses, all of almost DHAKA •• History

The city can be divided into three areas. areas. The city can be divided into three In 1887 Dhaka became a district capital In 1887 Dhaka became a district capital The British East extended India Company The In 1666 the British EastIn 1666 the India Company

HISTORY HISTORY River and Fulbaria Rd. It’s brimming with and Fulbaria Rd. It’s brimming with River between the northern bank of the Buriganga the Buriganga between bank of the northern you’re standing in the street. the standing in you’re crowded bazaars Old Dhaka is a maze of lying and equally crowded narrow streets Dhaka is not too difficult to figure out, thoughDhaka is not too difficult to figure opinion when a different have you’ll probably ORIENTATION ORIENTATION Dhaka was classed as a subsidiary capital, and it was not until Independence in 1971 its former that Dhaka once again achieved capital-city status. transformed it into a city of great prosper- great transformed it into a city of East Pakistan, of ity. During the existence Government buildings, churches, residen- churches, buildings, Government and educational institutions tial enclaves as its winter capital). From this point on capital). From this point on as its winter Dhaka again began to assume some measure centre. importance as an administrative of vided into east and west, the eastern sec-vided into east and west, the eastern (with Dhaka tion incorporating Assam of Bangladesh, and in 1905 Bengalof was di- development were established: indigo, sugar, development were course, jute. and, of tobacco, tea during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, during the late economic current that the dominant forms of controlled all of Bengalcontrolled all of it except Dhaka, which It was under the British, later. took eight years its power to such an extent that by 1757 it an extent its power to such had already begun. Dhaka remained the capi- begun. Dhaka remained had already tal under the Mughals until 1704, when they to . it moved established a trading post in Dhaka; however, trade centre Dhaka’s decline as a maritime tion for camel caravans), bazaars and gardens. bazaars tion for camel caravans), This development began to attract European southern India. from traders mosques, , caravanserais (accommoda- mosques, palaces, caravanserais Islamic education and increasing sophistica- Islamic education and increasing prosperity was also tion in the arts. Dhaka’s – the Mughalsconsiderably enhanced built the chief commercial emporium. This en- emporium. This commercial the chief of concentration greater much a couraged trade broughtcommerce: maritime industry, to Dhaka, and renamed it Jahangirnagar. it Jahangirnagar. and renamed to Dhaka, MughalDuring the became period, Dhaka received principal statusin 1610, when the received capital the from Rajmahal transferred Mughals Founded in the 4th century, Dhaka first Dhaka first 4th century, in the Founded lonelyplanet.com DHAKA 48 Aricha (62km) Dhamrai (17km); To Savar(12km); GREATER DHAKA

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Chittagong (190km) Asian Hwy Asian Comilla (83km); Demra To Sylhet (242km) Ton gi R iver DHAKA 49 ( p50 ) ) p50 ( Khan Khan ( p52 ) ) p52 ( 831 1721/5) Liberation Liberation % (ICDDRB; Map 988 0234) % ( (Map pp56-7 ; Dewan Complex, pp56-7 (Map (Pink ; p52 ) and ) and p52 Palace; (Pink (Map pp56-7 ; pp56-7 (Map (Map p62 ; Gulshan DIT II; per hr Tk ; Gulshan p62 (Map (Map p62 ; Gulshan DIT II; per hr Tk p62 (Map ( p53 ) and the next door p53 ( Sadarghat boat terminal Sadarghat 999) (Map p62 ; 1st fl, Banani Super Market, Kemal p62 (Map 199) Shankharia Bazar (Hindu St) Bazar (Hindu Shankharia 881 1751; 68 Shahid Tajuddein Ahmed Sharani, Ahmed 881 1751; 68 Shahid Tajuddein % ( (Map p62 ; 2nd fl, Banani Super Market,; 2nd fl, Banani Kemal p62 (Map (Map p62 ; 3rd fl, Banani Super Market, Kemal p62 (Map % ( p64 ) as the setting for the post-mortem post-mortem ) as the setting for the p64 ( % ( ( p64 ). ( p66 ). After lunch in one of the old town’s lunch in one of the old town’s ). After p66 ( 50) Also on Gulshan II circle. 50) Also on Gulshan every stocks a large range of Lonely Planet books day and novels as well as a large and numerous English language section a small devoted There’s to South Asian studies. upstairs café. Ataturk Ave, Banani; per hr Tk 40) Banani; per hr Ataturk Ave, cnr Elephant & New Elephant Rds; per hr Tk 50) cnr Elephant & New Elephant Rds; per hr D-Zone Cyber Café Golden Cyber Café Speednet International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh Hospital Police Internet Access business centres numerous small are There photocopy- fax, telephone, ) offering p51 (Map access. The connections are ing and internet one or normally good though most only have two computers. Adda Big-B Dynasty IT Cyber Café Emergency Emergency Fire Gulshan police station hospital Holy Family p62 ; Mohakhali) Ataturk Ave, Banani; per hr Tk 40) Serves coffee. Banani; per hr Tk 40) ServesAtaturk Ave, 50) One of several small cyber cafés on Gulshan II circle. 50) One of several small cyber cafés on Gulshan Ataturk Ave, Banani; per hr Tk 50) Banani; per hr Ataturk Ave, ( p55 ). Next, mooch on over to the ). Next, on over mooch p55 ( ; Gulshan restaurants Parjatan Parjatan rickshaw artrickshaw ( p55 ). Afterwards travel serenely in a rickshaw to Dhanmondi’s in a rickshaw to Dhanmondi’s serenely travel ). Afterwards p55 ( also has a ( p50 ) is the only way to spend your second day in the city. your second day in the city. ) is the only way to spend p50 ( ( p54 ). From here walk in any direction and you will find fan- walk in any direction ). From here p54 ( Dhaka University 811 465; 5/3 Ring Rd, 989 0832; Gulshan Ave, 989 0832; Gulshan Ave, % Old Dhaka % ( ( p55 ), and (Map pp56-7 ; Azimpur Rd, pp56-7 (Map National Museum ( p55 ) for a lesson on the painful birth of a nation. At night head to DIT II Circle in on the painful birth) for a lesson to DIT II Circle in night head of a nation. At p55 ( DHAKA •• Information (Map pp56-7 ; 112 Green Rd, Farmgate) ; 112 Green pp56-7 (Map Park Park (Map p62 ; p62 (Map

( p64 ) for lunch. In the afternoon, spend some time wandering around nearby around nearby spend some time wandering the afternoon, ) for lunch. In p64 ( (Map p62 ; Gulshan Ave, Gulshan) ; Gulshan Ave, p62 (Map (Map pp56-7 ; 233 Airport Rd) pp56-7 (Map

10am-9.30pm) This new bookshop is open

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An exploration of Wind down with an indulgent dinner in Wind down with an indulgent

Gulshan and choose one of the many fine choose one of the many Gulshan and War Museum War Museum of your day. Mirpur Rd Suhrawardi DHAKA IN TWO DAYS TWO DAYS IN DHAKA want to take probably you’ll first day in Dhaka the a bit easy so start off by journey, a long After heading to the Start history at wander through with a leisurely Mohammed Mirdha’s Mosque Mohammed Mirdha’s Mosque (tea) cha yourself with a few turn. Pace at every adventures tastic sights and unexpected miss out on Don’t snacks. street and delicious breaks and Nazira Bazar, the birthplace of to the fabulous blast on over atmospheric eateries, the its grittiest – it is undoubtedly at life for a view of River and drift out on the Buriganga highlight of a visit to Dhaka. then, shortly a small boat at the chaotic sunset, board before Other recommended bookshops: Other recommended

INFORMATION INFORMATION Gulshan; Shaymoli) A feminist bookshop and restaurant. For a nice bookshop and restaurant. Shaymoli) A feminist by women. change, men must be accompanied Azimpur) The bibliophile’s fantasy. When entering through the main entrance, turn left and walk as far as you can: you bookshops. great will be surrounded by Words ‘n’ Pages New Market complex Narigrantha Prabartana Books Express international newspapers, maps and a few maps and a few newspapers, international is a books on Bangladesh. There interesting bookshops on small but well-stocked host of in Dhanmondi. Mirpur Rd There is a great literary culture in this city. culture literary is a great There that carry bookshops have hotels The five-star Bookshops Bookshops map of Dhaka, available from its office and Dhaka, available map of other tourist offices, as many bigger as well It has enoughhotels. detail to enhance your sightseeing experience. and occasionally at markets. The and occasionally at markets. Corporation ally by to find it at most bookshops you will be able Maps Maps annu- Dhaka is produced The best map of lonelyplanet.com Specialises in English-language titles. Also sells CDs and Specialises in English-language titles. has a good selection The cakes Planet guides. of Lonely in epic. are shop the upstairs coffee