Central Dhaka includes Motijheel, the centre of finance and business, the University of Dhaka, a historic area with a number of museums, and Tejgaon-Dhanmondi, home to large shopping malls, markets and a variety of eateries.

See

Louis Kahn's stately capital complex was his vision of a modern Bengali city, with crisscrossing canals and gardens

Baitul Mukarram Mosque

Greek Memorial, TSC Complex, Dhaka University

Curzon Hall, Dhaka University campus

Aparajeyo Bangla Statue

The Shaheed Minar Monument

Mausoleum of the three British Bengal premiers in Suhrawardy Udyan

Grave of Kazi Nazrul Islam

Ramna Park and Lake

Fountain inside the Museum of Independence

Ramna Kali Mandir

Eternal Flame, Suhrawardi Uddyan, Dhaka

Mausoleum of Three Leaders

Dargah of Shahbaz Khan

Mughal Eidgah, Dhanmondi

National Assembly of Bangladesh

Motijheel

• 1 Baitul Mukarram Mosque  
• 2 Banga Bhaban  
• 3 Ramakrishna Mission (updated Nov 2018)

Dhaka University Campus

• 4 National Museum  
• 5 Liberation War Museum  
• 6 Musa Khan Mosque  
• 7 Greek Memorial (updated Jul 2015)

Buildings

• 8 Old High Court Building  
• 9 Curzon Hall  
• 10 International Buddhist Monastery, Merul Badda, Gulshan, Dhaka, ☏ +880 2 881-2288, [email protected]. A Buddhist monastery that was founded in 1981, and has been at its current site since 1989. It is popular with visiting Buddhist businessmen and foreign dignitaries. 

Monuments

• 11 Aparajeya Bangla  
• 12 Central Shaheed Minar  
• 13 National Poet's Graveyard  

Parks

• 14 Suhrawardi Udyan  
• 15 Ramna Green  

Suhrawardi Uddyan

• 16 Museum of Independence  
• 17 Eternal Flame (শিখা চিরন্তন), Northern end of Suhrawardy Uddyan. The eternal flame was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheik Hasina on 7 Mrach 1997. The flame burns eternally at the Northern end of Suhrawardi Uddyan, beneath the Bangladesh National flag. 
• 18 Mausoleum of Three Leaders (তিন নেতার মাজার)  
• 19 Shahbaz Khan Mosque and Dargah  
• 20 Ramna Kali Mandir (updated Jul 2015)

Tejgaon-Dhanmondi

• 21 Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban  
• 22 National Museum of Science and Technology, Agargaon, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, ☏ +880 2 9114128, [email protected]. W-M 09:00-17:00. A museum and modern learning centre displaying the latest scientific discoveries. Each weekend, a starwatching evening is held for Tk 10. Tk 5. 
• 23 Bangladesh Air Force Museum, BAF Base Bashar. M-Sa 14:00-20:00. Representative Bangladesh air force planes and history on display. 
• 24 Holy Rosary Church  
• 25 Novo Theatre (Planetarium) (updated Feb 2017)

Do

• 1 Institute of Arts and Crafts (Charukola Institute), University of Dhaka, Shahbag, ☏ +880 2 9675219 (ext 8570 or 8571), [email protected]. Houses a representative collection of folk-art, modern art and paintings by numerous artists of Bangladesh. 

Amusement parks

• 2 Shahbag Shishu Park. 
• 3 Shyamoli Shishu Mela. 

Buy

University

• 1 Banga (or Bango) Bazar, is a block west of the Gulistan bus station on Kamruzzaman Sharani Street at the edge of Old Dhaka. For shopaholics this is probably a paradise but for others it can be a nightmare. There are thousands of small stalls intersected by narrow walkways which are often jammed with people. The quality varies widely but the prices can be very cheap after hard bargaining, such as US$1 for a T-shirt, US$3 for blue jeans and US$5 for jackets. However, this is not a market for the brand-conscious.

Tejgaon-Dhanmondi

• 2 Bashundara City Mall, Pantha Path (just west of the Pan Pacific Hotel). A modern 10-storey shopping complex with a wide variety of shops, a supermarket, a food court, cinema, and more. (updated Nov 2019)

Eat

University

• 1 New Café Jheel, 18/1 Topkhana Road (Opposite the National Press Club), ☏ +880 2-9552255. Serves good local dishes for the budget traveler. Expect to pay Tk 150-200 for a 3 course meal. Although you can possibly get lunch/dinner for as low as Tk 60. 
• 2 Jharna Grill, 107 Kazi Nazrul Islam Ave (In Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel), ☏ +880 2 811 1005. The top restaurant in the hotel serves very good seafood. Expect to pay Tk 3,000 for a 3-course meal with drinks. The hotel has other good restaurants too. 
• 3 The Amber Room, 1 Minto Road (In InterContinental Hotel), ☏ +880-2-55663030. A fancy steakhouse and seafood restaurant in the InterContinental Hotel. Also has wine pairings. Tk 3000. (updated Nov 2019)
• 4 Elements, 1 Minto Road (In InterContinental Hotel), ☏ +880-2-55663030. A good but very expensive buffet with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Tk 4000. (updated Nov 2019)
• 5 Aqua Deck, 1 Minto Road (In InterContinental Hotel), ☏ +880-2-55663030. A lounge next to the pool in the InterContinental Hotel with things like sandwiches and salads. More affordable than the other restaurants in the hotel. Tk 1200. (updated Nov 2019)

Tejgaon-Dhanmondi

• 6 Mama Halim, 6 Mirpur Road (across from Dhanmondi Lake Park), ☏ +880 1955382239. Biryani, kebabs, cakes, ice cream, biscuits, fruit, and also gifts. 
• 7 Coopers Bakery, Mirpur Road, Kalabagan, ☏ +880 1729076914. Very famous for cakes and fast food. (updated Jul 2021)
• 8 Red Tomato, 46 Road No. 27 (Rangs Nasim Square). A medium quality, old Chinese restaurant which serves Chinese and Thai food. (updated Jul 2021)
• 9 Voot, House 36 Road No. 2, ☏ +880 1754833855. An upscale restaurant with a haunted theme (VOOT-meaning ghost in Bengali), high quality food, next to the well known Rifles Square Market. (updated Jul 2021)
• 10 Bashudhara City Food Court, Pantha Path (8th floor of Bashundhara City). A large food court in the Bashundhara City Mall with all manner of fast food, western food, Bangladeshi food and more. There is also a slightly higher end Food Hall in the food court. (updated Nov 2019)

Other Areas

• 11 Bella Italia, Gulshan 2 (2nd floor of the Eastern Bank Limited building - beside Shoppers' World), ☏ +880 1732-706038. The proprietor was employed in the restaurant business in Italy and this place serves fairly authentic thin-crust pizzas and pastas. Mains are around Tk 300-600. 
• 12 El Toro, House 9/A Rd 36, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh, ☏ +880 1 861 6343. 11:30-22:30. A Mexican restaurant serving burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas and others. Mains around Tk 250-300. 
• 13 Sura, House 32, Road 43, ☏ +880 1726-070059. Korean restaurant near the Egyptian embassy. Table-top barbecue and most popular Korean dishes are available, along with a selection of sushi and sashimi. Popular with Koreans and other expats. Expect to pay at least Tk 500 per person for a 3-course dinner. 

Drink

• 1 La Diplomat, Road 20, House number 7 (near Gulshan 1). Don't expect to be rubbing shoulders with any French ambassadors, however. 
• 2 H. Kabir and Company, Ltd., 12 Abbas Garden, New Airport Road, Mohakhali (Go towards the flyover as if you were going to Banani, but instead of going on to the flyover, you take the second left after it begins. At the small sign labeled Abbas Garden, turn left. Tell your driver to wait while you purchase.), ☏ +88 2 988 1936-9. Su-Th 09:30-16:30. is a duty-free shop that is only permitted to sell alcohol to passport-bearing foreigners or their drivers who bring their passports in when they purchase. 
• 3 North End Coffee, Kha-47-1 Pragati Sarani, Shahzadpur, North Badda (around the corner from US Embassy, across from Cambrian College and above the DBBL ATM), ☏ +880 1741055597. W Th Sa-M 08:00-21:00, F 14:00 to 21:00. Definitely the best coffee in Dhaka. With foreign ownership, an on-site coffee-roasting machine and huge sacks of coffee in the back, this is definitely the place to get your caffeine fix. Prices reasonable. No meals yet, just muffins and brownies. Cappuccino Tk 125. 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Hotel Motijheel, 28/i Toyenbee Circular Road (near Dainik Banglar mor). Tk 300-600. 
• 2 White House Hotel, 155 Shanti Nagar Road (near Siddheswari Circle), ☏ +880 2-8317726. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Rooms have air conditioninig, television, and internet connection with a decent speed. Tk 2,500-5,000. 

Mid-range

• 3 Grand Azad Hotel, 55 Purana Paltan, ☏ +880-2-9559399, [email protected]. 500 metres from the main city and some of the main tourist attractions. Modern hotel with facilities including a gym, lounge, restaurant, snooker room and an on site beauty salon. Prices from US$37-106. 
• 4 Amari Dhaka, Road No. 41, near Banani Bridge (Gulshan 2), ☏ +880 255059620. (updated Jul 2021)
• 5 Renaissance Dhaka Gulshan Hotel, ☏ +880 9638200100. (updated Jul 2021)
• 6 Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre, 23 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Avenue (Tejgaon). (updated Jul 2021)

Splurge

• 7 Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka, 107 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, ☏ +880-8111005, fax: +880 2 811 3324, [email protected]. For a long time was considered one of the top hotels in the city. In room internet access is available and works well. The hotel also has a swimming pool to enjoy. A room on the Pacific floor (7/8) will cost US$290 including breakfast. These rooms are a good choice since laundry and wired internet access are included in the price, plus a free bar in the Pacific lounge from 18:00-20:00. There are good restaurants and service is excellent throughout the hotel. 
• 8 InterContinental Dhaka (updated Nov 2019)
• 9 Hotel Sarina, Plot # 27, Road # 17, Banani (in the diplomatic area of town), ☏ +880 2 8859604, fax: +880 2 988-9989, [email protected]. 5* hotel, all rooms have high speed internet connection along with dedicated port for laptop, mini bar, in-room safe and satellite TV. Has an Italian restaurant on site. $110-450. 
• 10 Lakeshore Hotel, Gulshan 2 (in the diplomatic area of town), ☏ +880 2 8859991, [email protected]. Luxury 80-room hotel, rooftop pool, fitness, wireless and LAN Internet. Corporate discounts of 30% available. Probably the best medium-sized 5* in the city. US$100-220. 
• 11 The Westin, Plot-01, Road 45, Gulshan-2 (In the diplomatic area), ☏ +880 2 989 1988. Relatively new, modern, clean, great service, and would be at home in any major western city. However, extortionately expensive - over US$10 for a small beer US$200-240 in winter, varies seasonally up to $1,100. 
• 12 Six Seasons Hotel, Road 96, House 19, Gulshan 2 (In the diplomatic area), ☏ +880 9604 666 666, [email protected]. 82 rooms with all modern facilities for visitors. Menu options include Bangladeshi, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Continental. 

Connect

Motijheel