Dhaka

© Richard I Anson Lonely Planet.

Dhaka is not too difficult to figure out, though you’ll probably have a different opinion when you’re standing in the street. The city can be divided into three areas. Old Dhaka is a maze of crowded bazaars and equally crowded narrow streets lying between the northern bank of the Buriganga River and Fulbaria Rd. It’s brimming with points of interest for tourists, but not many facilities. The much larger ‘modern’ city begins about 2km to the north. The heart of Central Dhaka is Motijheel, which is also an important commercial district. Major landmarks here include the National Stadium, the Shapla (Lotus Flower Fountain) Circle on Inner Circular Rd and the Raj-era Supreme Court, just north of Dhaka University. Beyond are the suburbs, including the cantonment and the upmarket quarters of Banani, Gulshan and Baridhara. These three quarters have the best restaurants, guesthouses, almost all of the embassies and many of the swishest shops.