Dhaka Sightseeing Route by Neighbourhood

October 29, 2026

Travel advisory, October 2026. The Chittagong Hill Tracts (Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban) carry a UK FCDO warning against all but essential travel and a US warning against travel, and nothing here sends you there. In the rest of Bangladesh the UK rates terror attacks as very likely, and cautions that hartals and demonstrations can turn violent at short notice, so keep away from crowds and rallies. Bag snatchers on motorbikes and CNG auto-rickshaws have become more of a problem since 2024. Check UK travel advice and travel.state.gov before booking.

Two neighbourhoods, two days

Dhaka’s sights fall into two clusters. The old south, close to the Buriganga River, has the Mughal fort, the Nawab palace and the old mosques. The university quarter and the centre have the colonial campus, the national mosque and the language movement monument. Treat each cluster as a half day or a full day, because traffic between them is slow. Metro Line 6 links the northern stops, with fares from 20 BDT.

Old south: Lalbagh Fort and Ahsan Manzil

Lalbagh Fort was begun in 1678 by Prince Muhammad Azam and later extended by Nawab Shaista Khan. The compound holds the tomb of Pari Bibi, finished in white marble and dark basalt, a three-domed mosque, and the Diwan-i-Aam, which houses a small museum of coins, weapons and calligraphy. Foreign tickets cost 200 BDT, in cash at the booth. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00 with a lunch break, on Monday only from 14:00, and closed on Sunday.

Ahsan Manzil, the Nawabs’ pink palace on the Buriganga, dates from 1872 and has a large octagonal dome and a grand riverfront stair. The museum rooms show furniture, silver and photographs. Foreign entry is 500 BDT. It closes at 16:30, opens on Friday only in the afternoon, and is closed on Thursday.

Tara Masjid in Armanitola is covered in star shapes made from pieces of imported Japanese and English china tile, laid during a renovation in 1926. Sources disagree on when the original mosque was built. Entry is free outside prayer times. The nearby Dhakeshwari National Temple is the country’s national Hindu shrine, and entry is free. Remove shoes where signs ask and dress with covered shoulders and knees.

University quarter and centre

Curzon Hall, finished in 1904, is a red-brick building with cusped arches and small domed kiosks, now part of the University of Dhaka’s science faculty. It is free to look at and lovely in morning light. Baitul Mukarram, the national mosque, opened in 1968 with a cubic modern form, and visitors should dress respectfully and avoid prayer times.

At the edge of the university area, beside Dhaka Medical College, stands the Central Shaheed Minar, where the 1952 Language Movement martyrs are remembered. Visitors take off their shoes before stepping on to the marble platform. It is a place of mourning and national pride, and every 21 February huge numbers of people come barefoot with flowers. Visit quietly and do not treat it as a photo backdrop.

Practical tips

Rickshaws and CNGs are unmetered in practice, so settle the fare before you start.
Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Pathao let you check the driver and plate, which matters after dark.
Winter air is often among the worst of any city in the world, and summer rains bring flooding and dengue.
Mosques and temples expect modest dress, and prayer times are best avoided.

If you want a guide

A driver or guide is useful for linking the old south in one morning. Compare private city tours on Viator and check which entry tickets are included.