Best 5 visiting and tourist places in Dhaka, Bangladesh !!!

1. Ahsan Manzil

This iconic pink palace, also known as the “Pink Palace,” was the residence of the Nawab family of Dhaka and is now a museum showcasing their lifestyle and artifacts. It’s a popular spot for historical sightseeing and a peaceful retreat from the city’s bustle. *** Weekly closed: Thursday

	TICKET INFORMATION
Ticket Type	Price (BDT)	Service Charge
Bangladeshi (Adult)	40.00	4.00%
Bangladeshi (Child)	20.00	4.00%
Foreign	500.00	4.00%
SAARC	300.00	4.00%

Location: Bangladesh national museum, Shahbagh, Dhaka 1000.

Phone: +88-02-8619396-9, +88-02-8619400

Email: dgmuseum@yahoo.com

Website: Ahsan Manzil

2. Lalbagh Fort:

From website: History Google maps and wikipedia

South gate of the fort painted by Johan Zoffany in 1787

The Mughal prince Muhammad Azam, third son of Aurangzeb started the work of the fort in 1678 during his vice-royalty in Bengal. He stayed in Bengal for 15 months. The fort remained incomplete when he was called away by his father Aurangzeb. Shaista Khan was the new subahdar of Dhaka in that time, and he did not complete the fort. In 1684, the daughter of Shaista Khan named Iran Dukht Pari Bibi died there. After her death, he started to think the fort as unlucky, and left the structure incomplete. Among the three major parts of Lalbagh Fort, one is the tomb of Pari Bibi. After Shaista Khan left Dhaka, it lost its popularity. The main cause was that the capital was moved from Dhaka to Murshidabad. After the end of the royal Mughal period, the fort became abandoned. In 1844, the area acquired its name as Lalbagh replacing Aurangabad, and the fort became Lalbagh Fort.

Structures

For long the fort was considered to be a combination of three buildings (the mosque, the tomb of Bibi Pari and the Diwan-i-Aam), with two gateways and a portion of the partly damaged fortification wall. Recent excavations carried out by the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh have revealed the existence of other structures. The southern fortification wall has a huge bastion in the southwestern corner. On the north of the southern fortification wall were the utility buildings, stable, administration block, and its western part accommodated a beautiful roof-garden with arrangements for fountains and a water reservoir. The residential part was located on the east of the west fortification wall, mainly to the southwest of the mosque. The fortification wall on the south had five bastions at regular intervals two stories in height, and the western wall had two bastions; the biggest one is near the main southern gate. The bastions had an tunnel. The central area of the fort is occupied by three buildings -the Diwan-i-Aam and the hammam on its east, the Mosque on the west, and the Tomb of Pari Bibi in between the two in one line, but not at an equal distance. A water channel with fountains at regular intervals connects the three buildings from east to west and north to south.

How To Go

Dhaka’s Lalbagh Fort can be reached by rickshaw, CNG, or taxi from the front of Gulistan, Shahbagh or Curzon Hall.

Friday	10 AM–12:30 PM 3–5 PM
Saturday	10 AM–1 PM 1:30–5 PM
Sunday	Closed
Monday	2–5 PM
Tuesday	10 AM–1 PM 1:30–5 PM
Wednesday	10 AM–1 PM 1:30–5 PM
Thursday	10 AM–1 PM 1:30–5 PM

Location: Lalbagh Rd, Dhaka 1211, Bangladesh

Website: Lalbagh Port

3. Baitul Mukarram National Mosque:

A major Islamic landmark in Dhaka, this grand mosque features intricate architectural details and is a significant place of worship and prayer. Sprawling mosque complex with spacious interior courtyards, a soaring minaret & geometric archways.

Location: Baitul Mukarram, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

Website: Baitul Mukarram

4. Liberation War Museum:

Popular museum with a modern design exhibiting the history of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. If you’re curious about Bangladesh’s journey to independence, the Liberation War Museum is a profound and enlightening stop. This museum houses an extensive collection of artifacts, photographs, and documents detailing Bangladesh’s struggle for freedom. It’s a powerful experience that provides visitors with a sense of the resilience and spirit of the Bangladeshi people.

Location: Civic Centre, Plot : F11/A & F11/B, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh

Website: Liberation war museum

5. Armenian Church:

From: Wikipedia

The Armenian Church, also known as Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy Resurrection (Armenian: Դաքքայի Սուրբ Յարութիւն Եկեղեցի),^[1] is a historically significant architectural monument situated in the Armanitola area of old Dhaka, Bangladesh. The church bears testimony to the existence of a significant Armenian community in the region in the 17th and 18th centuries.^[2]

History

Following the domination of their homeland by Persian powers of the time, Armenians were sent by their new rulers to the Bengal region for both political and economic reasons. Although the Armenian presence in South Asia is now insignificant, their presence in Dhaka dates back to the 17th century. Armenians came to Dhaka for business. In Dhaka, Armenian merchants traded in jute and leather, and profitability in these businesses convinced some to move permanently to Bangladesh. The area where they lived became known as Armanitola.

In 1781 the now famous Armenian Church was built on Armenian Street in Armanitola, then a thriving business district. The site was an Armenian graveyard before the church was built, and the tombstones that have survived serve as a chronicle of Armenian life in the area. Agaminus Catchik, an Armenian, gave away the land to build the church. Michel Cerkess, Okotavata Setoor Sevorg, Aga Amnius, and Merkers Poges helped build the church.

In the fifty years following the church’s construction, a clock tower was erected on its western side. Allegedly, the clock could be heard four miles away, and people synchronized their watches with the sound of the tower’s bell. The clock stopped in 1880, and an earthquake destroyed the tower in 1897. The Armenians played a prominent part in the jute trade in Dhaka and are reputed to be the pioneers of that trade in the second half of the 19th century. Today, the last Armenian that took care of the church was Mikel Housep Martirossian (Michael Joseph Martin). He was also one of the Armenians who was in the jute trade. It is important to mention that in the 1980s, when the church was at its most vulnerable, and close to being taken over, Mr. Martin was instrumental in maintaining the survival of the Armenian Church in Dhaka. Without the many personal sacrifices and complete devotion to the church, the premises, and the history of the Armenians in Dhaka, would not have survived today. He and his family spearheaded what can only be described as a monumental effort to preserve the church, and because of his selfless efforts, and against all odds, the church continues to exist. Mr. Martin died in Canada on April 10, 2020.

Architecture

The church is 750 feet (228.6 m) in length. It is two storied. It has 4 doors, 27 windows, all of them arched. The building plan has a main section where all the prayer activities take place and two rectangular wings on either side. The main floor is divided into three parts: a pulpit enclosed by railings, a middle section with two folding doors, and an area separated by a wooden fence for seating. Entrance into the church occurs through these two rectangular wings, which are also veranda spaces. There is a spiral staircase into the second floor of the church. For the rectangle end on the main section, there are three doors on the ground door and first floor, where it turned into a balcony with railing. The rectangular wings of the church turned into terrace spaces on the first floor. Beside of this there was a watch house built by Johans Paru Piyete Sarkis. The watch house was destroyed by an earthquake in 1897. There is a square tower on the church with a “shonkhonil” (special type of minar used in India to show respect) minar on the top of it. The aisle of the church is 14 feet (4.27 m) wide. There are some beautiful paintings in the church, by the artist Charles Port. There is a room behind the pulpit used for baptism, with a 3-foot deep marble baptismal font.

Location: 4 Armenian Street, Armanitola Rd, Dhaka 1100, Bangladesh

Phone: +8801730738151

Website: Armenian Church

Apart from the places mentioned above, there are many other popular places in Dhaka such as – Shankhari Bazaar, Dhakeshwari Temple, Ramna Park, Baldha Garden, Sadarghat River Port, Buriganga River Cruise, Hatirjheel Lake, National Parliament House etc.

Have a safe journey in Bangladesh. Thanks for your time.