Flanking the Shitalakshya and Meghna rivers just south-east of Dhaka, Narayanganj is one of the country's oldest industrial and maritime hubs. In medieval times its township of Sonargaon ruled Bengal under the Baro-Bhuiyan leader Isa Khan, leaving behind fortified river outposts, merchant streets and Sultanate brickwork. Today weavers along the riverbanks still practice the traditional art of Jamdani.
- From Dhaka
- About 18 km, 1 hours by road
- Best time
- November to February
- A day costs
- About ৳1,400 to ৳6,000 per person
What Narayanganj is famous for
- Jamdani sari জামদানি শাড়ি
- Panam Nagar merchant street পানাম নগর
- Narayanganj tokti sweet নারকেল তোক্তি
- Jute and river trade পাট ও নদী বন্দর
How Narayanganj got its name
The town was named after the Hindu deity Narayana in 1766, when the religious leader Bikan Lal Pandey leased the area from the East India Company and endowed the riverfront market to support a local temple.
Places to visit in Narayanganj
Photo: Dolon Prova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Panam Nagar পানাম নগর
A historic street of 52 brick merchant mansions in Sonargaon, built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Entry roughly ৳100 for Bangladeshis, more for foreigners; easy-bike from Mograpara about ৳30
Photo: Ahidul hasan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Bangladesh Folk Art and Crafts Museum বাংলাদেশ লোক ও কারুশিল্প ফাউন্ডেশন
A sprawling cultural museum at Sonargaon featuring folk artisan workshops, rural crafts and the restored Boro Sardar Bari palace.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Entry roughly ৳50 for Bangladeshis, more for foreign visitors; pedal boats on the pond about ৳100
Photo: Rafi Bin Tofa, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Hajiganj Fort হাজীগঞ্জ দুর্গ
A pentagonal 17th-century Mughal water fort built by Mir Jumla on the western bank of the Shitalakshya river.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- About an hour
- Cost
- Entry free; rickshaw from Chashara about ৳30–40
Unseen Narayanganj: 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 Sonakanda Fort সোনাকান্দা দুর্গ
A 17th-century Mughal river outpost in Bandar with a colossal circular artillery platform overlooking the river.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Entry free; boat crossing across Shitalakshya roughly ৳5–10; rickshaw in Bandar about ৳25
Photo: David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Goaldi Mosque গোয়ালদী মসজিদ
A 1519 Sultanate brick mosque tucked among village trees near Sonargaon, notable for terracotta rosettes and stone mihrabs.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- About an hour
- Cost
- Entry free; auto-rickshaw from Panam Nagar about ৳30–40
How to get to Narayanganj
- Frequent buses including Bandhab and Sheetal Paribahan leave Gulistan for Narayanganj Chashara every few minutes. For Sonargaon, take any bus towards Cumilla or Chattogram from Sayedabad and get off at Mograpara crossing on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
- Commuter trains run roughly hourly between Dhaka's Kamalapur station and Narayanganj railway station, stopping at Chashara and taking about 45 minutes.
Where to stay in Narayanganj
Rooms run from about ৳1,000 a night for a simple hotel, around ৳2,500 mid-range and ৳6,000 or more for the most comfortable. Prices are approximate.
- Hotels around Shaheed Suhrawardy Road, Chashara
- Sonargaon Royal Resort, Khasnagar near Mograpara crossing, Sonargaon
- Hotels around Chashara and Station Road in Narayanganj town
What to eat in Narayanganj
Sample coconut tokti and creamy misti doi from the sweet confectioneries around Chashara and Tanbazar. Riverside eateries along the Shitalakshya and Meghna serve freshly cooked hilsa, taposi fish and duck curry with rice.