Feni, Chattogram

Feni

A busy crossroads on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway, between the Tripura hills and the Bay of Bengal, with the Muhuri Project reservoir, old tanks and buffalo-milk curd.

Local food to try

Buffalo-milk curd
Feni
Thick, rich, slightly sour curd made from the milk of buffalo raised on the coastal chars — Feni’s best-known food.
Coastal and river fish
Feni
Fish from the Feni river and the coast, curried or fried, and dried fish (*shutki*) bhorta.
Winter pitha
Feni
Bhapa and chitoi pitha from street stalls on winter evenings.

Where to eat

Trunk Road
Feni town
The main street, with rice restaurants, fast food and sweet shops selling curd.
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Mohipal
Feni
Highway restaurants by the bus stops, convenient when you are passing through.
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Where to stay

Feni town centre
Feni town
Most of the hotels, around Trunk Road and close to the station.
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Near Mohipal
Feni
Hotels by the highway, handy for early buses.
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Culture

Feni shares the culture of greater Noakhali.

The local dialect is lively and distinct, and is a source of pride and good humour.
Shamsher Gazi lives on in local stories and songs.
Buffalo herding on the coastal chars around Sonagazi supplies the milk for the area’s famous curd.
In winter, the Muhuri Project’s reservoir draws migratory birds and birdwatchers.

History

Feni takes its name from the Feni river, which forms part of the border with India before reaching the Bay of Bengal. The district lies on the narrow strip of land between the Tripura hills to the east and the sea to the south, which has always made it a gateway between Chattogram and the rest of the country.

In the 18th century the area is remembered for Shamsher Gazi, a local ruler who rose to control a wide territory in the region and is still a figure of local legend. Old tanks and mosques across the district date from this and earlier periods.

Feni was part of greater Noakhali until it became a district in 1984. Today it is a lively commercial town on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway, with many families supported by relatives working abroad.

For travellers, its main draws are the Muhuri Project reservoir near the coast, the big old tanks such as Bijoy Singh Dighi, and the area’s famous buffalo-milk curd.

Plan your visit

Best time to visit

November to February, when migratory birds come to the Muhuri Project and the weather is dry

How to get there

By bus from Dhaka: about 3–4 hours on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway, depending on traffic. Buses leave often from the Saydabad and Jatrabari side of Dhaka, and many Chattogram-bound buses stop at Feni.
By bus from Chattogram: about 2–3 hours.
By train: Feni station is on the Dhaka–Chattogram line, and several intercity trains stop there; check the current schedule.
Many long-distance buses stop at Mohipal on the highway, just outside the town centre.

Getting around

Rickshaws and battery auto-rickshaws cover the town; Trunk Road is the main street.
For the Muhuri Project, take a bus or CNG towards Sonagazi, or hire a CNG for the day.
Bijoy Singh Dighi is a short ride from the town centre, near Mohipal.
Hiring a CNG for a day is the easiest way to combine the town’s tanks with the Muhuri Project.

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