Tangail, Dhaka

Tangail

A district on the Jamuna north-west of Dhaka, famous for its handwoven Tangail saris, Porabari’s chamcham, the Atia Mosque and the sal forest of Madhupur.

Local food to try

Porabari chamcham
Tangail
A dense, reddish-brown chhana sweet with a dusting of dried milk, Tangail’s most famous food.
Jackfruit and pineapple
Tangail
The Madhupur tract grows large amounts of pineapple and jackfruit, in season in summer.
Jamuna fish
Tangail
River fish from the Jamuna, cooked as curry or fried.

Where to eat

Sweet shops of Tangail town
Tangail town
The town’s sweet shops sell chamcham and other sweets; ask locals which are the oldest.
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Highway restaurants
Dhaka–Tangail highway
Large roadside restaurants along the highway where long-distance buses stop.
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Madhupur bazar
Madhupur
Simple restaurants and, in season, heaps of pineapple at the market.
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Where to stay

Tangail town
Tangail Sadar
Most hotels are in the town, a good base for Atia, Karatia, Porabari and Santosh.
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Madhupur
Madhupur
A few simple places to stay near the forest; check availability locally.
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Culture

Tangail is a weavers’ district. The Tangail sari, cotton or silk-blend with fine woven borders, is made on handlooms in villages around Pathrail in Delduar and elsewhere, and visitors can buy straight from the weavers’ shops.

The Garo and Koch communities live in and around the Madhupur forest, with their own languages, churches and festivals such as Wangala after the harvest.
The shrine of Maulana Bhasani at Santosh draws visitors throughout the year.
Porabari’s chamcham has made the district’s name in sweets.

History

Tangail stretches from the Jamuna in the west to the red-soil Madhupur tract in the north-east. The Bangabandhu Bridge over the Jamuna starts at its western edge, so the main road from Dhaka to the whole of North Bengal runs through the district.

Its history is written in its buildings: the Atia Mosque of the early seventeenth century, the palaces of the Panni family at Karatia and of the zamindars of Mahera, Dhanbari and Pakutia. Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, the peasant leader, lived his last years at Santosh near the town, where his shrine stands.

During the 1971 Liberation War, Tangail was a stronghold of the freedom fighters, and the district is proud of that history. Today it is best known for its weavers: the Tangail sari is sold all over the country.

Plan your visit

Best time to visit

October to March; Madhupur’s forest is greenest just after the monsoon.

How to get there

By bus from Dhaka: buses to Tangail leave from Mohakhali and run along the Dhaka–Tangail highway, about 2–3 hours depending on traffic at Gazipur. Many buses to North Bengal also pass the town.
From North Bengal: buses from Bogura, Rajshahi, Sirajganj and Rangpur cross the Bangabandhu Bridge and reach Tangail on the way to Dhaka.
By train: intercity trains between Dhaka and the north-west stop at Tangail station; check current schedules.
From Mymensingh: buses run via Madhupur, about 2.5–3 hours.

Getting around

Rickshaws and battery auto-rickshaws inside Tangail town.
CNG auto-rickshaws to Atia, Karatia, Santosh and Porabari, all within easy reach of the town.
Local buses to Mirzapur, Madhupur and Dhanbari.
For a full day covering several spots, hire a car or CNG.

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