Motijheel travel guide

Motijheel, Bangladesh

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Motijheel

Introduction

Motijheel is Dhaka's primary central business district and the nation's largest commercial and financial hub. Sitting immediately adjacent to the city's zero point, it holds the largest number of offices in Dhaka and one of the country's highest concentrations of high-rise buildings, which has earned it recognition as the downtown and city centre of the capital. In Bengali it is known as the bankpara, a nod to its role as the city's financial quarter.

Your visit here is about the working city rather than monuments: expect a district defined by office towers, banks and the daily bustle of commerce at the heart of the capital.

Getting around

Motijheel is compact — the thana covers only a few square kilometres — so the real obstacles to getting around are traffic, heat and the density of people and vehicles rather than distance. The Dhaka Metro Rail serves the area and is the fastest way to cover longer cross-city legs and bypass road congestion; buy your ticket at the station for the next train, as fares are paid per journey rather than through a monthly pass. Dhaka has no tram network, so the metro is the rail-based rapid transit option. For longer-distance rail travel, Kamalapur Railway Station sits just outside the thana to the east and is reachable by bus or auto-rickshaw, with several local bus routes passing it directly.

Buses are the workhorse of Dhaka transport and Motijheel is a major hub for them, with several depots and terminals feeding the area. Routes connect Motijheel to Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Abdullahpur, Taltola, Natun Bazar, Narayanganj and Demra, among others. Buses are cheap and frequent but slow in peak hours; buy your ticket from the conductor on board and keep small notes and coins handy. Women travelling alone may want to look out for the BRTC "Pink Bus" service, a women-only network operated by women drivers and conductors, several of whose routes touch Motijheel. Auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws fill the gaps between bus stops and metro stations — rickshaws suit short hops within Motijheel, and you should agree the fare before setting off, since meters are rarely used. Metered taxis exist but are not always easy to flag down, and ride-hailing apps are generally the most straightforward option, with pick-up points around Shapla Square, Balaka Square and the main office buildings. Motijheel is in principle walkable, with the main business addresses clustered close together and the two big roundabouts as useful waypoints, but expect heavy traffic, narrow or obstructed footpaths and heat for much of the year; carry water and break up longer journeys with a rickshaw or a metro hop. Use Shapla Square and Balaka Square as your mental anchors when giving directions to drivers, and allow extra time in the morning and evening rush.

Three days in Motijheel

Day one: Start your time in Motijheel by getting your bearings in Dhaka's commercial heart. Sitting in the shade of Shapla Square, you can watch the area's offices and banks at full tilt, and in Bengali the name means "pearl lake". Use Shapla Square and Balaka Square as your landmarks for finding your way around. The Dhaka Metro Rail serves the area, so you can arrive without braving the roads.

Day two: For a wider look at the city, head to Kamalapur Railway Station and consider the train. Buses are the other main option, with routes reaching Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Abdullahpur, Taltola, Natun Bazar, Narayanganj and Demra. Women may prefer the BRTC Pink Bus, while auto-rickshaws come in metered and unmetered varieties.

Day three: Use your last day to slow down around Motijheel itself, returning to the squares you used as landmarks and letting the district's working rhythm set your pace. If you still want to range further, the same bus routes and the metro remain your ways out.

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