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Sylhet division · হবিগঞ্জ

Habiganj travel guide

Lowland rainforests with hoolock gibbons, medieval terracotta mosques, and tea hills rising toward the Tripura border.

Places to visitPlan a trip to Habiganj

Photo: Ridoybd008, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Habiganj occupies the southwestern edge of the Sylhet division, where flat haor wetlands meet forested sandstone ridges along the Indian border. The district is best known for the wildlife habitats of Satchari and Rema-Kalenga, alongside centuries of Vaishnava and Sultanate heritage. Most travelers use it as a quieter base for forest trekking and tea estate walks before heading further into the division.

From Dhaka
About 147 km, 4 hours by road
Best time
November to March
A day costs
About ৳1,400 to ৳7,000 per person

What Habiganj is famous for

  • Tea চা
  • Dry fish and shidhol সিদল ও শুঁটকি
  • Shital pati woven mats শীতল পাটি

How Habiganj got its name

The town is said to be named after Syed Habib Ullah, a zamindar of the historic Taraf fiefdom who set up a trading ganj on the banks of the Khowai River in the eighteenth century.

Places to visit in Habiganj

  1. Satchari National Park, Habiganj
    Photo: Abdul Momin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
    Forest

    Satchari National Park সাতছড়ি জাতীয় উদ্যান

    A 243-hectare evergreen forest in Chunarughat with marked trails, canopy birds, and troops of hoolock gibbons.

    Best time
    November to February
    Give it
    2–3 hours
    Cost
    Entry roughly ৳115 for adults; registered forest guide about ৳300–500 per walk
  2. Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Habiganj
    Photo: Sanjida Showmi Shithi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
    Forest

    Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary রেমা-কালেঙ্গা বন্যপ্রাণী অভয়ারণ্য

    A dense forest sanctuary along the Indian border, known as the second-largest natural forest reserve in Bangladesh.

    Best time
    November to March
    Give it
    Half a day
    Cost
    Entry roughly ৳30; eco-guide roughly ৳500; auto-rickshaw from Chunarughat about ৳600–800 return
  3. Shankarpasha Shahi Mosque, Habiganj
    Photo: ফজলুল জাহিদ পাভেল, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
    Place of worship

    Shankarpasha Shahi Mosque শংকরপাশা শাহী জামে মসজিদ

    A four-domed Sultanate brick mosque built around the turn of the sixteenth century, featuring ornate terracotta ornamentation.

    Best time
    October to March
    Give it
    About an hour
    Cost
    Free entry; auto-rickshaw from town roughly ৳80–120 each way

Unseen Habiganj: the lesser-known places

Quieter spots most visitors miss. Go with a local driver or ask us to arrange one.

  1. Bithangal Akhra, Habiganj
    Photo: Abbas Tarafder, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
    Heritage site · Lesser known

    Bithangal Akhra বিথাঙ্গল আখড়া

    A fortified sixteenth-century Vaishnavite monastery in the low-lying haor basin, holding 120 rooms and sacred relics.

    Best time
    November to February
    Give it
    2–3 hours
    Cost
    Free entry, small donation customary; CNG auto-rickshaw from Habiganj roughly ৳250–350 each way

How to get to Habiganj

  • Buses for Habiganj depart regularly from Sayedabad and Mohakhali terminals in Dhaka, taking 3.5 to 4.5 hours depending on traffic along the Dhaka–Sylhet highway.
  • The Parabat, Jayantika, Upaban and Kalni express trains run from Kamalapur and Airport stations to Shaistaganj Junction, about 14 km south of Habiganj town. CNG auto-rickshaws connect the station to town.

Where to stay in Habiganj

Rooms run from about ৳900 a night for a simple hotel, around ৳2,500 mid-range and ৳8,000 or more for the most comfortable. Prices are approximate.

  • The Palace Luxury Resort, Bahubal
  • Hotel Sonar Tori, Kalibari Road, Habiganj
  • Hotels around Station Road in Shaistaganj

What to eat in Habiganj

Haor-caught fish such as boal and chital cooked with local mustard or dried chilies, shidhol paste chutney, and fresh curd from rural dairy farms. Local tea stalls serve cha paired with freshly fried bakarkhani.

Near Habiganj

Districts close enough to add to the same trip.

Visiting Habiganj: questions people ask

What is Habiganj famous for?+

Habiganj is known for Tea, Dry fish and shidhol and Shital pati woven mats. Lowland rainforests with hoolock gibbons, medieval terracotta mosques, and tea hills rising toward the Tripura border.

How do I get to Habiganj from Dhaka?+

Habiganj is about 147 km from Dhaka by road, around 4 hours. Buses for Habiganj depart regularly from Sayedabad and Mohakhali terminals in Dhaka, taking 3.5 to 4.5 hours depending on traffic along the Dhaka–Sylhet highway. The Parabat, Jayantika, Upaban and Kalni express trains run from Kamalapur and Airport stations to Shaistaganj Junction, about 14 km south of Habiganj town. CNG auto-rickshaws connect the station to town. A Marks Aviation private car from Dhaka is ৳8,000 one way, our published fare.

What is the best time to visit Habiganj?+

November to March suits most of its places. Satchari National Park is best november to February, Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary is best november to March and Shankarpasha Shahi Mosque is best october to March.

How much does a trip to Habiganj cost?+

Allow roughly ৳1,400 to ৳7,000 per person a day for a room, meals and local transport, depending on comfort. Rooms run from about ৳900 to ৳8,000 a night. These are estimates; ask us for a firm quote.

What are the lesser-known places in Habiganj?+

For the unseen side of Habiganj, look beyond Satchari National Park and Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary to Bithangal Akhra. A fortified sixteenth-century Vaishnavite monastery in the low-lying haor basin, holding 120 rooms and sacred relics.

Costs, distances and opening details are approximate and change; check before you travel. Marks Aviation car-hire fares are our published list.