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Faridpur, Dhaka

Faridpur

A Padma river district south-west of Dhaka, home of the Palli Kabi Jasimuddin, with the tall Mathurapur Deul and an easy road from Dhaka over the Padma Bridge.

Local food to try

  • Padma hilsa

    Faridpur

    Hilsa from the Padma, fried or in mustard curry, best in the monsoon season.

  • Date-palm juice and gur

    Faridpur

    Fresh juice and jaggery in winter; drink raw juice only if it has been boiled, as it can carry the Nipah virus.

  • River fish

    Faridpur

    Fish from the Padma and the Kumar, cooked as curry with rice.

Where to eat

  • Faridpur town centre

    Faridpur town

    Restaurants serving rice, fish and meat, and sweet shops.

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  • Padma riverside

    Faridpur Sadar

    Tea and snack stalls along the river, busiest in the evening.

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Where to stay

  • Faridpur town

    Faridpur Sadar

    Most hotels are in the town, the base for Ambikapur and day trips in the district.

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  • Day trip from Dhaka

    Dhaka

    With the Padma Bridge, Faridpur town and Ambikapur can be seen in a long day from Dhaka.

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Culture

Faridpur’s culture is the village Bengal that Jasimuddin wrote about: nakshi kantha embroidery, folk songs and river life.

  • The Jasim Palli Mela, held at Ambikapur around the poet’s birthday in January, brings folk music, crafts and food stalls.
  • The shrine of Shah Farid in the town is visited throughout the year.
  • Jute is still grown widely, and in the monsoon the fields and retting ponds are part of the landscape.

History

Faridpur takes its name from the Sufi saint Shah Farid, whose shrine is in the town. The district lies on the south bank of the Padma, and its land of rivers, chars and jute fields was for a long time one of the great jute-growing areas of Bengal.

It is the home of Jasimuddin, the Palli Kabi or “poet of the village”, whose poems such as Nakshi Kanthar Math and Kabar gave the rural life of Bengal a voice. His family home stands at Ambikapur on the Kumar river, just outside the town.

The district also holds older heritage, such as the tall Mathurapur Deul in Madhukhali and the Sultanate-era mosque at Pathrail in Bhanga. Since the Padma Bridge opened in 2022, Faridpur has become a short road journey from Dhaka.

Plan your visit

Best time to visit

November to February; January for the Jasim Palli Mela at Ambikapur.

How to get there

  • By bus from Dhaka: since the Padma Bridge opened, buses to Faridpur run over the bridge and the Bhanga expressway, mostly from Sayedabad, Jatrabari and Gulistan; about 2.5–3.5 hours depending on traffic. Some buses from Gabtoli still go via the Paturia–Daulatdia ferry.
  • From Khulna, Jashore and Kushtia: buses run via Magura or Rajbari, about 3–4 hours from Khulna and Jashore.
  • By train: trains using the Padma Bridge rail link serve Bhanga and Faridpur; routes and schedules are still changing, so check current timetables.

Getting around

  • Rickshaws and battery auto-rickshaws in Faridpur town.
  • CNG auto-rickshaws to Ambikapur and the Padma riverside.
  • Local buses to Bhanga, Madhukhali and Boalmari.
  • Hire a car or CNG for a day covering Mathurapur and Pathrail.

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