Dhaka

Fares are estimates; check before you ride.

Passes

No pass. Short rides are cheap; agree the fare before you ride or use a ride-hailing app.

Late at night

The metro line in the north does not reach the old city; ride-hailing runs late but is thin in heavy rain and during protests.

Bhimnag Sweets

A long-running Bengali sweet shop in Shankhari Bazar, Old Dhaka; stop for sandesh and other milk sweets in the afternoon, cash in hand, before the lanes empty at dusk (check the address).

Fakruddin Biryani (Gulshan branch)

A well-known Dhaka kacchi and biryani chain with several branches, including Gulshan and Banani (check the nearest): go at an off-peak lunch or dinner with an air-conditioned table.

Gulshan 2 circle café row

A run of air-conditioned cafés and bakeries around the Gulshan 2 circle: the heat-day break and the easy evening meal when you want no ride; expect Western coffee and pastries alongside Bangladeshi snacks (check current names).

Haji Biryani

Walk-in mutton biryani in Nazira Bazar, Old Dhaka; go at lunchtime with a local, and expect a short menu and a queue.

Bakarkhani and tea stops, Old Dhaka lanes

Not one shop but a habit: buy a crisp bakarkhani flatbread from an Old Dhaka bakery and drink milk tea at a street stall as a mid-morning break; pick a busy stall where the tea is made to order.

Fuchka and chotpoti stalls near TSC (Dhaka University)

Street fuchka and chotpoti near the university's Teacher-Student Centre in the afternoon: a cheap, spicy snack with students; choose a stall with a queue and skip if you cannot handle chilli or risk your stomach.

Dhanmondi

Cheaper guesthouses and serviced apartments near the lake, closer to the old city; night staffing varies, so confirm before you fly.

Gulshan

First-timers: hotels have 24h desks and a door the car can reach; the cafés and restaurants are near, but every sight is a long ride away.

Etiquette

• Greeting: A handshake between men is normal; a woman may prefer to greet with a nod and a hand on the chest. Wait for the woman to offer her hand.
• Dress: Cover shoulders and knees in public; women cover their hair in mosques and at some shrines.
• Shoes: Remove shoes at mosques, temples and inside homes.
• Left hand: Eat, pass and receive with the right hand; the left is considered unclean.
• Photography: Ask before photographing people, especially women; do not photograph police, military, government buildings, bridges or airports.
• Friday: Friday midday prayer closes many shops and mosques to visitors: plan around it.

Red lines

• Mosques and shrines: cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes, and women cover their hair where signs require it.
• Do not photograph women, police, government buildings or demonstrations without asking.
• Buriganga river: go with a local guide; boats are crowded and the water is polluted.

Scams and watch-outs

• Rickshaw and CNG drivers quoting a tourist fare well above the meter or app price: agree before you ride, or use a ride-hail app.
• Unlicensed 'guides' at Lalbagh, Ahsan Manzil and Old Dhaka who offer a tour and then ask a large fee: agree a price first, or decline.
• Money-changers on the street or at the airport quoting a rate that looks better than the bank: change at a bank or hotel, and count every note.
• Ride-hail drivers who cancel and ask you to pay cash for a higher fare: cancel and rebook in the app.
• Overpriced goods at tourist stalls near heritage sites: ask a local or your host what the price should be.