Dhaka
One of the world's busiest river ports, where launches leave for the south.
Sadarghat is where much of southern Bangladesh arrives in and leaves the capital. Before Eid, families crowd the launches with bags and gifts for the journey home, and the evening departures — horns sounding, lights coming on along the decks — are one of the great sights of river life in the country.
Sadarghat is Dhaka’s main river port, on the north bank of the Buriganga. For centuries the river was the city’s highway, and the ghats of this stretch have been landing places for boats and traders since long before the modern terminal was built.
Today large multi-deck passenger launches leave from here for the south of the country — Barishal, Patuakhali, Bhola, Chandpur and many smaller river towns — most of them overnight. Alongside them, wooden rowing boats ferry people across the river to Keraniganj all day long.
The terminal itself is functional rather than beautiful; the reason to come is the life on the water. Launches jostle at the pontoons, porters carry loads on their heads, hawkers sell everything from tea to toys, and the river is crowded with boats from dawn till night.
Arrive early to see the overnight launches come in from the south and unload.
Take a rowing boat across to Keraniganj and back for the view of the city from the water.
Walk a few minutes along the river to the Nawabs’ pink palace and museum.
A short rickshaw ride to Armanitola for two of Old Dhaka’s most unusual buildings.
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October to March. Come early in the morning, or in the late afternoon when the evening launches load and leave.
At the southern end of Old Dhaka: a rickshaw from Gulistan, or a bus or CNG to the terminal.
