Rani Durgabati, mother of Raja Jayanarayan of the Chandradwip dynasty, excavated this 45-acre waterbody in 1780 to relieve a severe drinking-water shortage. A thickly forested island stands in the middle of the lake, serving as a roosting ground for migratory birds and bats in winter. Shaded brick walking paths run along the elevated banks under coconut and mahogany groves. Bring binoculars in winter for spotting visiting waterbirds.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Entry roughly ৳30; round trip auto-rickshaw from Barishal town about ৳300–400
How to get to Durga Sagar
At Madhabpasha in Babuganj, about 11 km north-west of Barishal city. Auto-rickshaws or shared tempos from Nathullabad bus stand reach the entrance in 25–30 minutes.
Barishal town is about 180 km from Dhaka, around 3.5 hours by road. Every way to get there is in the Barishal guide.
More to see in Barishal
Photo: Tahsin R Hossain, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Baitul Aman Guthia Mosque বাইতুল আমান জামে মসজিদ
A modern mosque complex in Guthia finished in 2006, set around ponds with a 193-foot minaret and intricate calligraphy.
- Best time
- October to March
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Entry free; auto-rickshaw from Nathullabad about ৳250–350 round trip
Photo: JoachimBadhonBoiragee, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Oxford Mission Epiphany Church অক্সফোর্ড মিশন এপিফানী গির্জা
A Greek-Byzantine red-brick cathedral built in 1903, featuring forty arched colonnades and a massive open-air courtyard.
- Best time
- October to March
- Give it
- About an hour
- Cost
- Entry free; rickshaw from Sadar Road roughly ৳30–40
Photo: ANKAN, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Lakutia Zamindar Bari লাকুটিয়া জমিদার বাড়ি
An 18th-century brick estate with overgrown pavilions, ornamental gatehouses and curved Shiva temples north of Barishal.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- No entry fee; auto-rickshaw from town roughly ৳150–200 each way