Dhaka: A Thrilling Shopping Destination

By Shakir Husain

DHAKA, June 28 (Bernama) -- People rarely talk about Dhaka as a shopping tourism destination.

This is because not much is known outside Bangladesh about the city's vibrant traditional bazaars, modern malls, lifestyle stores in affluent neighbourhoods, and the country's home-grown fashion brands.

What is well known, however, is that Bangladesh is one of the world's leading exporters of ready-made garments, textiles, and leather goods.

I found myself amid an intense shopping scene while exploring Dhaka's vast urban landscape.

New Market, which is actually one of the oldest and most popular marketplaces, and its surroundings of New Super Market, Chandni Chowk, and Gausia Market were teeming with people buying all kinds of stuff: clothes, fabrics, ornaments, watches, gifts, shoes, stationery, books, household goods, toys, electronics.

A Dhaka tour is incomplete without visiting this charming area where the richness of merchandise is sure to dazzle you.

Not far from this hub of never-ending shops is Bashundhara City, one of Dhaka's largest shopping malls.

This mall has zones dedicated to different categories of products, such as electronics, apparel, abayas, and hijabs. A money changer is conveniently located on the ground floor.

Bashundhara's food court offers a vast array of Bangladeshi and Asian cuisine.

Another shopping haven is Jamuna Future Park, Bangladesh's biggest mall and one of the largest in South Asia. Here you can spend plenty of time and cash buying excellent local and imported brands.

Police Plaza, Concord Shopping Mall, and Pink City Shopping Complex in the Gulshan area are also popular.

Dhaka's shopping scene is lively and extensive, and it may easily take a week to explore its most interesting spots.

You may, however, need to plan your visit to Dhaka carefully.

The city's traffic-clogged roads can be frustrating.

With a population of 23 million, the Dhaka metropolitan area ranks among Asia's largest conurbations. It is also one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Traffic jams in this slow-moving city can teach you that patience is indeed a great virtue. I had my share of its traffic woes during the seven days I spent in the city.

On some occasions, I was caught in scrums of battery-powered traditional cycle rickshaws and electric rickshaws during peak rush hour, and once in a stop-and-crawl of more than two hours after arriving on a bus from the seaside tourist town of Cox's Bazar.

But I must say I have had worse experiences in traffic chaos while travelling in some other Asian conurbations.

Overall, I managed Dhaka's traffic rather well by not being on the road during peak commute hours and adjusting my schedule as per congestion conditions.

Using compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered auto rickshaws and electric rickshaws for short distances offers better manoeuvrability when road conditions become difficult.

Where you stay in Dhaka can also determine what kind of experience you gain in this megacity. The upscale Gulshan, Banani, and Dhanmondi neighbourhoods are often preferred by foreign visitors.

These locations are comparable to some of Kuala Lumpur’s best areas, with nice hotels, impressive corporate towers, diplomatic missions, and high-end restaurants.

Dhaka is a wonderful blend of modern and traditional, and its shopping scene is thrilling.

-- BERNAMA