Social ConventionsIn someone’s home it is acceptable to sit crossed-legged on cushions or the sofa. If a visitor wishes to bring a gift, money must not be given as it may cause offence. Religious customs should be respected by guests. There are severe penalties for possession and trafficking of illegal drugs. some drugs-related offences are punishable by death. For instance, women should not be specifically photographed unless it is certain that there will be no objection. Women should wear trousers or long skirts; revealing clothes should be avoided, particularly when visiting
religious places. Dress is generally informal for men, though modesty must be maintained. Same-sex relations are illegal.
Photography: In rural areas, people are becoming more used to tourists; however, permission should be requested before photographs are taken of individuals. Do not photograph military installations.
International Travel:Getting There by AirThe national airline is
Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG).
Departure TaxBDT300.
Main AirportsDhaka International (DAC) (Zia International). The airport is 20km (11 miles) north of the city (journey time – 45 minutes).
To/from the airport: Biman Bangladesh coaches run regularly. To return, pick up the coach from the Tejgaon old airport building, the Golden Gate or Zakaria hotels. Parjatan Coaches are also available. Bus and taxi services are available to the city. It is usual to give a 5% tip to taxi drivers. It has been known for passengers to suffer harassment at International Airports, even by corrupt officials or unlicensed touts. It is best to arrange pick-up in advance, preferably with the hotel or friends. The airport has, however, improved immeasurably in the last couple of years and improvement looks set to continue. Hopefully, these issues will eventually be resolved. Facilities: Restaurants, post office, banks, duty-free shops and car hire.
Other international airports include
Chittagong (CGP) (MA Hannan International Airport) and
Syhlet (ZYL) (Osmani International Airport).Getting There by WaterThe main seaport is
Chittagong. Ferries from Myanmar and India run to the southern coastal ports. For details, contact the Embassy or High Commission of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (see
General Info).
Getting There by RailRail connections (there are no through-trains) link Bangladesh with India (West Bengal and Assam). Cycle-rickshaw, bus or porter services provide the cross-border connections.
Getting There by RoadOverland crossings include the Benapol-Haridispur border (for Calcutta), the Chilihari-Haldibari border (for Darjeeling) and the Tamabil-Dawki border (for Shillong). The crossing at Benapol is the easiest and most used. It is advisable to check when the frontier posts will be open. Conditions are likely to be difficult during the monsoon season. All other frontier posts between the two countries are currently closed. Overland travel is not currently possible between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Coach: A direct daily service has recently been introduced between Dhaka and Calcutta via Benapol. For further details, contact Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (tel: (2) 955 5553).
OverviewThe following goods may be imported into Bangladesh without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225g of tobacco;
two bottles of alcoholic beverages or one bottle if not traveling for tourist purposes (non-Muslims only);
250ml of perfume;
gifts up to the value of Tk500.
Duty free items may be bought at the duty free shop at Dhaka Airport on arrival.
Firearms and some animals.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirInternal services are operated by
Aero Bengal Airlines,
Air Parabat,
Bengal Airlift LTD,
Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG) and
GMG Airlines. Regular flights are run between Dhaka and several other main towns. These are cheap, and most routes are served at least two or three times a week. Airline buses connect with terminals.
Domestic airports
These include
Barisal, Cox’s Bazar,
Ishwdi,
Jessore,
Rajshahi and
Saidpur.
Getting Around by WaterThe country has about 8433km (5240 miles) of navigable waterways and water transport, if a little slow, is the least expensive method of getting around Bangladesh. Ferries operate between southern coastal ports and the Ganges River delta, where there are five
major river ports:
Barisal, Chandpur, Dhaka, Khulna and
Narayanganj. Passages should be booked well in advance; for details, contact local port authorities. River services are operated by the Bangladesh Inland Waterway Transport Corporation (BIWTC), who run ‘Rocket’ ferries and launches on a number of routes. A ferry operates from Dhaka to Khulna four times a week (travel time – 28 hours). Ferries can often be dangerously overcrowded. The most recent incident was in February 2005 when 150 people drowned near Dhaka. In the past, these incidents have incurred greater casualties.
Getting Around by RailA slow but efficient network, operated by
Bangladesh Railway, is limited by the geography of the country, but river ferries (see above) provide through links. Services are being upgraded. However, trains still occasionally derail and passengers have been injured. The main line is Dhaka–Chittagong, with several daily trains, some of which have air-conditioned cars. An inter-city express service is available between main towns. For details, contact the Embassy or High Commission for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (see
General Info).
Getting Around by RoadThere are approximately 6240km (3877 miles) of roads, of which 3840km (2386 miles) are paved. Road safety is poor. Traffic is heavy and chaotic in urban areas. There are frequent and often lethal crashes caused by speeding, dangerous and aggressive overtaking, sudden maneuvers, etc. Vehicles and roads are badly maintained and often unlit; drivers, if in lit vehicles, will often have the light full-beam. In addition to all this, banditry is a problem after dark. It is possible to reach virtually everywhere by road, but given the geography of the country, with frequent ferry crossings being a necessity, together with the poor quality of many of the roads, road travel can be very slow. Traffic drives on the left.
Bus: The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) provides a countrywide network of bus services. All major towns are served; fares are generally low.
Taxi: Generally available at airports and major hotels. Fares should always be agreed upon before traveling. It is usual to give a 5 per cent to taxi drivers.
Car hire: Cars may be hired at Dhaka airport, the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation Office or from the major hotels. However, in the major cities, it is relatively easy and inexpensive to hire chauffeur-driven cars.
Documentation: International Driving Permit required.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesThere are
bus services, which are usually very crowded and unreliable, in Dhaka, provided by the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation. The Central Bus Station is on Station Road (Fulbaria); there are also several other terminals, which are, in general, for long-distance services. Buses and bus stations do not generally have signs in English. There are also an estimated 10,000 independent ‘auto-rickshaw’ 3-wheeler taxis (avoid night-time use). Conventional taxis are also available.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from
Dhaka to other major cities/towns in Bangladesh.
| Air | Road | Rail |
| Chittagong | 0.35 | 6.00 | 6.00 |
| Sylhet | 0.30 | 7.00 | 7.00 |
| Rajshahi | 0.45 | 12.00 | 13.00 |
| Rangpur | - | 11.30 | 11.30 |
Next Page »
