Haji Bakir Ali began this mosque as a simple thatched prayer hall in 1863, and subsequent community rebuilding in the early 20th century transformed it into a striking showcase of porcelain mosaic. Craftsmen decorated its outer walls, thirty-two minarets and central domes with broken plates and teacups of British and Japanese porcelain, earning it the name Chini Masjid or Glass Mosque. The multi-turreted roofline and floral insets produce an intricate patterned facade unlike any other mosque in the division. It is an active prayer hall, so visitors should dress modestly.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free; rickshaw from Saidpur town centre roughly ৳30–50
How to get to Chini Masjid
In Saidpur town, about 20 km south of Nilphamari town. A rickshaw from Saidpur railway station or the bus counter takes roughly 10 minutes.
Nilphamari town is about 362 km from Dhaka, around 8 hours by road. Every way to get there is in the Nilphamari guide.
More to see in Nilphamari
Photo: Mrinal.eee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Nilsagar নীলসাগর
A historic 54-acre dighi surrounded by dense trees, originally dug in the 8th century and now a winter shelter for migratory waterfowl.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Small park gate fee around ৳20; easy-bike from Nilphamari town roughly ৳150–250 each way
Photo: Rono Mohit Bakshi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Saidpur Railway Workshop সৈয়দপুর রেলওয়ে কারখানা
Established by the Assam-Bengal Railway in 1870, this sprawling historic complex is Bangladesh's oldest and largest railway workshop.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free to view from perimeter; prior administrative permission needed to enter operational areas; rickshaw around town ৳40–60
Dharmapal Garh ধর্মপালের গড়
An 8th-century earthen fortification and palace mound in Jaldhaka, attributed to Emperor Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free; bus from Nilphamari town to Jaldhaka about ৳40–60; local easy-bike ৳30–50