Chandpur, Chattogram
Chandpur
The “City of Hilsa”, where the Padma, the Meghna and the Dakatia meet — reached by launch from Dhaka’s Sadarghat, with wide river views and the freshest hilsa in the country.
Local food to try
Where to eat
Where to stay
Culture
Chandpur’s culture is river culture.
- The hilsa season is the town’s great event: the ghats are busiest from the monsoon into autumn, and hilsa festivals are held in some years.
- There is a ban on catching hilsa during the main breeding season each autumn, and a seasonal ban on jatka (young hilsa); the ghats are quiet then. Check the dates before you plan a fish trip.
- Fishing and boat-building communities live along the rivers, and launches remain an everyday part of life.
- Hajiganj Mosque draws large congregations, especially at Eid and on Fridays.
History
Chandpur grew up where the Dakatia flows into the Meghna, just below the point where the Padma joins it. The meeting of these great rivers made the town a natural port, and for generations launches and steamers have connected it with Dhaka, Barishal and the south.
The rivers also made Chandpur the country’s best-known hilsa town. Fishing boats unload at the town’s ghats, and much of the hilsa sold in Dhaka passes through here, which is why Chandpur is called the City of Hilsa (Ilisher Bari).
Life here is shaped by the water: river erosion has taken land again and again, and the town’s protective embankments and the Molehead at Boro Station are as much defences as viewpoints. Chandpur was part of greater Cumilla until it became a district in 1984.
Plan your visit
Best time to visit
July to October for the hilsa season and full rivers; October to February for calm, clear days
How to get there
- By launch from Dhaka: launches leave Sadarghat for Chandpur through the day; the trip down the Buriganga and the Meghna takes roughly 3–4 hours and is the classic way to arrive.
- By bus from Dhaka: about 3–4 hours by road, depending on the route and traffic.
- By bus from Chattogram: about 4–5 hours via Cumilla.
- By train: Chandpur is linked by rail to Laksam on the Dhaka–Chattogram line, with trains from Chattogram; check the current schedule.
Getting around
- The town is small; rickshaws and battery auto-rickshaws take you from the launch terminal to Boro Station and the Molehead.
- The fish ghat and the Molehead are next to each other at Boro Station.
- For Hajiganj, take a bus or CNG along the Chandpur–Cumilla road.
- Small boats near the ghats take visitors out on the river; agree on the trip first and do not go out in rough weather.