Sadarghat River Port

Sadarghat River Front, located in the southern part of Dhaka, on the river Buriganga, is one of the most dynamic places in Dhaka. Here, the Sadarghat Launch Terminal is one of the largest river ports in the world. About 200 large and small passenger launches depart and arrive at the terminal every day. According to the officials at the terminal, 30,000 people, on average, use the terminal for departure and arrival every day. Visiting this place is a pandemonium, you may see what you can never experience in this world. The River Buriganga, though smelly and muddy, is the lifeblood of Old Dhaka. It’s fascinating to watch the large river ferries, overladen with people and local produce, and the loading and unloading activities to ramshackle warehouses on the riverfront. Tripledecked ferries are docked along the side of the jetty while small wooden boats pile their trade in between. The shrill of sirens sound like an air raid as boats depart and arrive from the countryside.

A constant stream of humanity flows up gangplanks and on to ferries moored tightly together along rusting pontoons. Ship’s bells and klaxons, the cries of porters, vendors, and beggars, the muezzins announcing evening prayer – it is a cauldron of noise. It seems chaotic, but it’s one step in a well-organized supply chain across the country, dating back many centuries. As ferries arrive, barefoot vendors leap aboard from nearby ships like attacking pirates. Amid the chaos, men kneeling on the top deck of ferries and praying towards the setting sun are seen. Wide-eyed families look as though they came from another planet. The children are often dressed in their finest outfits – little girls in pink and red frilly dresses.

Google rating: 4.2/5.0

Address: Buriganga Riverfront, Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Opening Hours: Open 24 hours