Dhaka

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Quick Facts

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Coordinates

• Latitude: 23.7106
• Longitude: 90.3978

On Travellerspoint

• 1 Dhaka Apartments
• 1 Dhaka Guesthouses
• 3 Dhaka Hostels
• 4 Dhaka Hotels

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Introduction

Dhaka Traffic Jam

© All Rights Reserved rayoujo

Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and as one of the most crowded countries in the world, it comes as little surprise that their capital also fits that bill. Home to some 12 million people, Dhaka is a hectic, polluted and congested city where you constantly find yourself bumping into people. And it's not just people that are plentiful - Dhaka also holds the world record for number of rickshaws in a city, something that adds a flash of color to the endless rivers of chaos that make up Dhaka's streets.

Dhaka has been developing fast as a modern city, much in contrast to the rest of Bangladesh, and it has clearly become the country's hub of economic, educational and political activity. That doesn't mean that everyone living in Dhaka has been able to ride it's growth, if anything the gap between poor and rich is most obvious here where just a few minutes ride in a rickshaw will allow you to experience both sides first hand. For visitors the destination would be considered cheap by most standards.

Neighbourhoods

• Gulshan
• Banani
• Motijheel
• Old Dhaka

Sights and Activities

Events and Festivals

Weather

Dhaka has a tropical monsoon climate. There are roughly three seasons. The cool season from November to February, although warmer than in much of India. Than during the hot season from March until early June some rainstorms occur and these are often thundery. Temperatures and humidity combined makes this time not the most pleasant one, but it beats the rains during the the main rainy season of the southwest monsoon from June to September when the rainfall is heavy and frequent. September to November is wet as well, with changes of cyclones particularly during these months, although they can occur in August already. Temperatures are roughly 25 Celsius degrees or a little more in summer during the day and 12 or 13 degrees Celsius at night. April is the hottest month with average daytime temperatures of around 35 degrees but over 40 degrees Celsius is no exception. Nights from May to October are around or over 25 degrees Celsius! July is the wettest month with more than 400 mm of rain.

Getting There

By Plane

Zia International Airport, located around 25 kilometres from the city, is well served by international flights from most continents.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has flights mainly to the southern parst of Asia and to Hongkong, Rome and London.

GMG Airlines is a bigger airline though and based at Dhaka as well. It has the same destinations as Biman, with the exception that it flies to Milan instead of Rome.

Jet Airways has cheap flights between Delhi and Dhaka while also AirAsia X has chartered budget flights from Kuala Lumpur and low-cost airline Air Arabia is planning to fly from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, making it possible to fly cheaper to Bangladesh compared to direct flights from Europe.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Aero Bengal Airlines, Air Parabat, Bengal Airlift LTD and GMG Airlines serve domestic destinations including Chittagong, Jesorre and Cox's Bazar.

By Train

According to plans, trains are running again since late 2007 between Calcutta, India and Dhaka for the first time in over 40 years, although check beforehand if this train is still running. Although there were connections from Calcutta to the border and across the border further to Kulna, there weren't any connections to Dhaka at all from the west. This direct option takes about 12 hours including border formalities. Bangladeshi rail service covers most of the country and connects Dhaka with other major cities including Chittagong, which is served twice daily from the capital and some carriages are airconditioned.

By Bus

There is a direct bus route that runs direct from Kolkata in India to Dhaka. The trip takes about 8-9 hours and runs several times a day. It costs about $10-$12 one way.
New luxurious bus companies have joined the market though including Green Line, Shyamoli and Shohagh. They serve Dhaka to and from dozens of places, with Chittagong and Cox's Bazar being the main destinations.

By Boat

A ferry operates from Dhaka to Khulna four times a week, taking over 24 hours. Other river ports served from Dhaka include Barisal, Chandpur, Khulna and Narayanganj.

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

Drink

• Chai - this tea is popular.
• Lassi - drink made with yoghurt and fruit.
• Green coconut - delicious and refreshing.
• Drinking alcohol in public areas on Fridays is not recommended.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

• University of Dhaka

Keep Connected

Internet

Hidden in the various shopping complexes at Gulshan and Banani there are numerous internet cafés. Costs will be approximately TK 20-30 per hour. Computers can also be found in Old- and Central Dhaka.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

It's easy and cheap to buy a SIM card for your mobile and with low call rates, this can be an excellent way to stay in touch.

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