Lying just south of Dhaka across the Dhaleshwari and Meghna rivers, Munshiganj is the heartland of historic Bikrampur, an early capital of Bengal. Its fertile alluvial plains produce vast quantities of potatoes, while centuries-old mosques and river bastions sit among winding waterways. Most travellers make day trips from Dhaka to explore its heritage or eat fresh hilsa beside the Padma.
- From Dhaka
- About 30 km, 1.5 hours by road
- Best time
- November to February
- A day costs
- About ৳1,300 to ৳5,500 per person
What Munshiganj is famous for
- Munshiganj potatoes মুন্সিগঞ্জের আলু
- Bhagyakul sweets ভাগ্যকুলের মিষ্টি
- Mir Kadim beef মীর কাদিমের মাংস
- Mawa fried hilsa মাওয়ার ভাজা ইলিশ
How Munshiganj got its name
The district was historically known as Bikrampur. The modern name is said to honour Munshi Enayet Ali, a prominent local zamindar and revenue official who held court in the area during the late Mughal and early colonial periods.
Places to visit in Munshiganj
Photo: Rayhan9d, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Idrakpur Fort ইদ্রাকপুর কেল্লা
A 1660 Mughal river fort built by Subahdar Mir Jumla II with a circular raised drum and bastions on the Ichamati river.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Entry roughly ৳20 for Bangladeshis; rickshaw from town centre about ৳30
Photo: Md Saiful Islam Khan (Aopu), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Baba Adam's Mosque বাবা আদম মসজিদ
A six-domed brick Sultanate mosque built in 1483 with carved terracotta plaques and octagonal corner towers.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- About an hour
- Cost
- Entry free; auto-rickshaw from Munshiganj town about ৳40–60 each way
Photo: FahimHP, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Mawa Ghat মাওয়া ঘাট
An open riverfront on the Padma known for round-the-clock fried hilsa stalls and panoramic river views.
- Best time
- Year-round, best in October to March
- Give it
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Fried hilsa meal roughly ৳300–600 depending on fish size; local boat ride about ৳500–1,000 for a group
Unseen Munshiganj: the lesser-known places
Quieter spots most visitors miss. Go with a local driver or ask us to arrange one.
Photo: SabbirAbeir (md sabbir), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose Memorial Complex স্যার জগদীশ চন্দ্র বসু স্মৃতি কমপ্লেক্স
The restored ancestral estate of the pioneer physicist and plant physiologist, containing a museum, gardens and school.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Entry roughly ৳20; local auto-rickshaw from Sreenagar stand about ৳30–50
Photo: অভিজিৎ দাস, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Bikrampur Vihara রঘুরামপুর বিক্রমপুর বৌদ্ধ বিহার
Excavated ruins of a 10th-century Buddhist monastery at Raghurampur linked to the legendary scholar Atisa Dipankara.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Entry free; auto-rickshaw from Munshiganj town about ৳60–80
How to get to Munshiganj
- Buses such as Dighirpar Paribahan and Dhaka Transport leave Gulistan for Munshiganj Sadar via Muktarpur Bridge every 15 minutes. For Louhajang and Mawa, express buses run from Sayedabad and Babubazar along the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway, taking under an hour.
- Passenger launches run regularly from Sadarghat launch terminal in Old Dhaka down the Buriganga and Dhaleshwari rivers to Munshiganj launch ghat, taking about two hours.
Where to stay in Munshiganj
Rooms run from about ৳800 a night for a simple hotel, around ৳2,000 mid-range and ৳5,000 or more for the most comfortable. Prices are approximate.
- Hotels around Jubilee Road and Supermarket area in Munshiganj town
- Hotel Three Star, Sadar Road, Munshiganj
- Mawa Resort, Kandipara near old ferry ghat, Louhajang
- Padma Resort, Louhajang
What to eat in Munshiganj
Eat crisp-fried hilsa with mustard oil, fried green chillies and steaming rice at Mawa ghat. In town, try traditional beef curries in Mir Kadim and sweets from Bhagyakul, particularly chena amriti and chomchom.