Shop till you drop
After all the bargaining and shopping you can do, escape to the peace of Dhaka's famous golf course
Shakib Al Hasan
06-Nov-2010
Second-hand books on sale next to a graffiti-covered wall at Dhaka University • AFP
Experience Gulshan and Uttara
These areas of Dhaka are never short of activity. There are many trendy restaurants, fast-food joints and cafes here that you just have to try. For great kebabs and masala dishes, I recommend Dhaba on Banani Road 11. If you are looking for authentic Bangladeshi cuisine, stop over at Kasturi. There are so many choices in Gulshan and Uttara, I suggest you just walk around and try whichever eatery you feel like.
These areas of Dhaka are never short of activity. There are many trendy restaurants, fast-food joints and cafes here that you just have to try. For great kebabs and masala dishes, I recommend Dhaba on Banani Road 11. If you are looking for authentic Bangladeshi cuisine, stop over at Kasturi. There are so many choices in Gulshan and Uttara, I suggest you just walk around and try whichever eatery you feel like.
Gulshan is not just about multi-national food, it is also a shopping hotspot. Although you'll see many international brands, a must-visit is Aarong, a chain store that will turn you into a Bangladeshi no matter where you come from. Apart from handicrafts, they have the best designer kurtas (we call it Punjabi in Bangladesh).
My favourite restaurant in the city is Mainland China in Uttara.
If you are in the mood to party, head to the Radisson Waterfront or the Dhaka Regency.
Play at the Kurmitola golf course
I didn't know such an amazing facility existed in the mad rush, traffic jams and noise of Dhaka till I went there with Jamie [Siddons] and my team-mates one day. Even if you are not a Tiger Woods wannabe, it's worth going there for the scenery and the atmosphere. This is the course where Bangladesh's first pro-golfer, Siddikur Rahman, once worked as a caddy before he shot to fame by winning an Asian PGA title.
I didn't know such an amazing facility existed in the mad rush, traffic jams and noise of Dhaka till I went there with Jamie [Siddons] and my team-mates one day. Even if you are not a Tiger Woods wannabe, it's worth going there for the scenery and the atmosphere. This is the course where Bangladesh's first pro-golfer, Siddikur Rahman, once worked as a caddy before he shot to fame by winning an Asian PGA title.
Stroll around the Dhaka university campus
I love the university campus because it welcomes everyone. If you don't know what to do in Dhaka, just go there and mingle with the youngsters. Become a student for a day. The university's must-see places are the Curzon Hall, a grand British-era faculty complex, and the Shaheed Minar, a monument for the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement.
I love the university campus because it welcomes everyone. If you don't know what to do in Dhaka, just go there and mingle with the youngsters. Become a student for a day. The university's must-see places are the Curzon Hall, a grand British-era faculty complex, and the Shaheed Minar, a monument for the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement.
Shop in Bangabazar
Bangabazar is the most famous shopping centre in Dhaka. Every rickshaw-wallah and cabbie knows where it is. Don't be disappointed by its tiny outlets and narrow alleyways because the place is a goldmine if you are shopping for clothes. You name it, Bangabazar has it, at unbelievably low prices. Bargain hard.
Bangabazar is the most famous shopping centre in Dhaka. Every rickshaw-wallah and cabbie knows where it is. Don't be disappointed by its tiny outlets and narrow alleyways because the place is a goldmine if you are shopping for clothes. You name it, Bangabazar has it, at unbelievably low prices. Bargain hard.
Visit the Bashundhara Shopping Mall
Don't leave Dhaka without buying DVDs from Bashundhara Shopping Mall. It is a fun mall, with movies theatres, food courts and an amusement hall.
Don't leave Dhaka without buying DVDs from Bashundhara Shopping Mall. It is a fun mall, with movies theatres, food courts and an amusement hall.
As told to Rabeed Imam