What is Dhaka best known for?
Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. It is the largest city in the historic region of Bengal and the largest city in South Asia. Dhaka emerged as the most populous city during the Mughal Empire. It is a commercial and cultural centre, with a long history as the capital of Bengali. It has been called the City of Mosque and Eastern Venice, because of its Islamic architecture and the river overlooking the Buriganga (Old Ganges). Also known as the Rickshaw Capital of the World, with more than 500,000 rickshaws operating on its streets. Although described as a concrete forest, Dhaka has well-respected green spaces, including many gardens and parks. Today, Dhaka is the second most populous capital in South Asia after Delhi and an important financial centre alongside Mumbai and Karachi. Today's Dhaka is a thriving, colourful, dense city. Roads and rivers are full of colourful charm. The city plays the role of having the highest number of rickshaws in the world. Dhaka is also the centre of Bangladesh's textile industry, which is a major source of foreign exchange. The city experience at first may seem daunting.
Best places to visit in Dhaka
- Dhakeshwari Temple: The temple is a centre for Hinduism in Dhaka, dating back to more than 1200 yr.
- Lalbagh Fort: The fort belongs to the 17th century and is home to the tomb of Pari Bibi, daughter of Prince Mohommaf Azam, the governor of Dhaka Shaista Khan.
- Armenian Church: This church is believed to be the heart of an almost extinct Armenian community that settled in Dhaka during the 17th century.
- Star Mosque: Star Mosque derives its name from the beautiful mosaic stars that adorn the walls of the mosque. It belongs to the late 18th century, built in a Mughal style. However, the design of the mosque has been altered to a modern style.
- Ahsan Manzil: Built-in 1872 on a site of an old French factory, Ahsan Manzil is a key tourist attraction in Dhaka. Having survived tornadoes, it has been successively reconstructed as a larger version.
- Sadarghat River Port: It is one of the largest river ports in the whole world witnessing the movements of more than 30,000 passengers in a day. It is a must-visit attraction in Dhaka because of being the hub of the southern part of the country.
Airport in Dhaka
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is the major and largest airport in Bangladesh. It is located 17 km from the city centre in Kurmitola.
- Airport address- Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Airport-Dakshinkhan Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- IATA code- DAC