Dhaka City Tour

A Day in the Life of Dhaka: A Journey Through Time with EvergreenBD Tours

Your day begins at the dawn of modern Bangladesh. At the National Parliament Building, the sun reflects off the vast artificial lakes surrounding Louis Kahn’s geometric marvel. As you stand before this 1982 masterpiece, you’ll learn how it rose from the turmoil of independence to become a global icon of architectural power. From here, EvergreenBD Tours whisks you into the raw energy of Kawran Bazar. Established in the 18th century by merchant Kawran Singh, this is the city’s largest wholesale market—a sensory explosion where history is written in the sweat of porters and the vibrant colors of fresh produce.

As the morning unfolds, we transition into the intellectual heart of the nation. We drive through the leafy lanes of Dhaka University, pausing at Curzon Hall. Built in 1904 for a British Viceroy, this red-brick fusion of European and Mughal styles eventually became the cradle of the 1948 Language Movement. A few blocks away, the atmosphere shifts to the spiritual at the Dhakeshwari National Temple. Dating back to the 12th-century Sena Dynasty, this “hidden” sanctuary gave Dhaka its name and remains a peaceful bastion of the city’s diverse religious tapestry.

By midday, we enter the golden age of the Mughals. We step inside the rose-colored walls of Lalbagh Fort, a 1678 fortress that remains an unfinished dream of Prince Muhammad Azam. You’ll walk the path of the tragic Pari Bibi, whose marble tomb stands as a silent witness to the empire’s grandeur. Nearby, the Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque rises on its unique vaulted platform, offering a glimpse into the 1704 scholarly life of Old Dhaka. Before lunch, we stop at the Star Mosque (Tara Masjid), where the walls are a mosaic of Japanese porcelain—a stunning 19th-century transformation that turns light into a galaxy of blue stars.

After a traditional Bengali lunch—sampling recipes that have been perfected over generations—we head into the labyrinth of Old Dhaka. We find a quiet moment at the Armenian Church, built in 1781. Here, among the ancient gravestones, you’ll hear stories of the Armenian merchants who once controlled the region’s vast jute trade. From the silence of the church, we dive into the narrow, electric pulse of Shakhari Bazar. This 300-year-old street is the ancestral home of the conch-shell carvers, where the air is thick with incense and the sound of bells.

As the afternoon sun softens, we reach the majestic Ahsan Manzil, known as the Pink Palace. Originally a French trading post before becoming the Nawab of Dhaka’s seat in 1830, this palace was the first building in the city to see electric light—symbolizing the peak of Dhaka’s aristocratic era.

The journey reaches its grand finale at Sadarghat, the city’s historic wharf. We leave the land behind and board a traditional wooden rowing boat on the Buriganga River. As you glide past massive passenger steamers and rust-colored cargo ships, you are witnessing a scene that hasn’t changed in centuries. With EvergreenBD Tours, you’ll watch the sun dip below the horizon of the world’s busiest riverfront, concluding a day that didn’t just show you Dhaka—it immersed you in its soul.