Dhaka Activities: Metro, Museums, Old Town
Travel advisory, as of October 2026. The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts (Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban), and the US warns against travel there. The UK also describes terrorist attacks as very likely, and says hartals (strikes) and demonstrations can turn violent quickly, so avoid them and stay in on hartal days. Street crime has risen since 2024, including bag snatching from motorbikes and CNG auto-rickshaws. Read the FCDO advice and travel.state.gov before booking.
What to do in Dhaka
Dhaka is a large, loud, flat delta city with about 23 million people. Its best activities are cultural: Mughal and Nawab-era buildings in the old south, museums around Shahbagh, and food and craft streets in Old Dhaka. There are no hills, beaches or whitewater anywhere near the city, so plan around heritage, markets and food. Prices below are in Bangladeshi taka (BDT), and foreign visitors pay a higher tier than locals at most sites. Allow for a 4% service charge on official online tickets.
Ride Metro Rail Line 6
The elevated Line 6 runs from Uttara North to Motijheel, about 20 km with 16 stations, in roughly 33 minutes. Fares rise with distance from 20 BDT up to 100 BDT for the full line, and a Rapid Pass gives a 10% discount. It skips the traffic that can turn a 10 km car ride into hours. Useful stops are Agargaon for the Liberation War Museum, Bijoy Sarani for the Military Museum, Shahbagh for the National Museum, and Dhaka University for Curzon Hall. The Kamalapur extension is not open yet, with openings talked about for late 2026 to spring 2027. Friday service starts in the afternoon, so check the timetable.
Old Dhaka’s Mughal and Nawab buildings
Lalbagh Fort is a 17th-century Mughal complex with the Tomb of Pari Bibi, a three-domed mosque and the Diwan-i-Aam hall. Foreign entry is 200 BDT. It is closed Sunday and open only from 14:00 on Monday. Ahsan Manzil, the pink riverside palace of the Dhaka Nawabs, charges 500 BDT for foreigners, closes at 16:30 and is shut on Thursday. On Friday it opens only in the afternoon.
Museums
The National Museum at Shahbagh holds sculpture, folk craft and modern art. Foreign entry is 500 BDT, with the same Thursday closure as Ahsan Manzil. The Bangabandhu Military Museum charges foreigners 800 BDT and is closed Wednesday. Arrive early on any museum day, because most close by 16:30 or 17:00.
Walk and eat in Old Dhaka
Shankhari Bazaar is a narrow lane of conch-shell carvers, and Chawkbazar is a spice and perfume market. For a meal, Haji Biryani (founded 1939, main branch on Kazi Alauddin Road) and Nanna Biryani both serve mutton kacchi biryani, often for a few hundred taka. Fake lookalike signs exist near the original, so check the name. Rickshaws have no working meters, so agree the fare before you climb in. Short hops are often 30 to 100 BDT. At night, a ride-hailing app with the driver and plate checked is safer than a street CNG.
Staying well
Drink only sealed bottled water and avoid ice. From November to February the city is often among the worst in the world for air quality, so bring an N95 mask if you have asthma. The monsoon months bring flooding and a dengue peak, so use repellent in the day.
River and ferry safety
Sadarghat is the main river terminal, and overcrowded launches and ferries are a recurring hazard on Bangladesh’s rivers. A 2020 launch collision killed 34 people. Go by daylight only, hire a boatman through a reputable guide, and wear a life jacket if one is offered.
Booking a guide
Guides with cars save time in traffic. You can compare local options at GetYourGuide . Read more: Dhaka sightseeing , Dhaka walking tours and Dhaka day trips .
For the visa, use the Bangladesh e-visa route and check current rules, since visa on arrival is limited to a few special categories.