By Air
Over 15 major airlines now land at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (Bengali: হজরত শাহজালাল আন্তর্জাতিকবিমানবন্দর) at Dhaka, and the number is continuously increasing. Formerly Zia International Airport, it is an elegant airport reminiscent of some of the modern buildings in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. There are direct daily flights to all regional capitals and major cities such as Kolkata, New Dehli, Bombay, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu and Singapore as well as to more distant cities in Europe and elsewhere.
Getting to Dhaka from Europe is pretty easy. There are numerous flights from London, Amsterdam and even Rome. Biman, Bangladesh Airlines even has flights from New York to take you to Bangladesh.
From Asia, the simplest way would be to catch a connection flight from Singapore, Dubai, Bangkok or Hong Kong.
Shahjalal International Airport
Dhaka – Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC/VGZR)
Tel: +880 (2) 861 0274, +880 (2) 861 1757
Fax: +880 (2) 966 0993, +880 (2) 862 0033
e-mail: g.cargo@bdcom.com
Airport Data:
International, Dhaka 19km (11miles), Position 23°50´34″N, 090°24´02″E, Elevation 8m (26ft)
Airfield Data:
Navigational Aids: VOR-DME, NDB
Runway 1: Heading 14/32, 3,200m (10,498ft), PCN59/F/B/W/T, Aircraft size max: B-747/DC-10/DC-8
Useful Links
By Land
Asian Highway
Lots of tourists and visitors enter Bangladesh from India, which almost entirely surrounds Bangladesh. Traveling to Bangladesh from India has recently been made easier with direct bus connections between Dhaka and Kolkata (Calcutta) and between Dhaka and Agartala. There is also a train link between Kolkata and Dhaka throught the Benapole entry point. However, travellers have to disembark at the station and switch trains.
There are several major entry points (Bangladesh names listed first):
- Benopol-Petrapole (in the West, towards Kolkata)
- Chilihari-Haldibari (in the North, towards Darjeeling)
- Tamabil-Dawki (in the North East, towards Shillong)
- Akhaura-Agartala (in the East, towards Agartala)
Even though Bangladesh and Myanmar shares a border, overland routes have been closed since the early 1950s. With recent liberalization in relations between the two countries, a road link between Teknaf in the South of Bangladesh and with Myanmar’s Sittwe area is slated to begin soon as part of the Asian Highway and it is assumed that a border crossing will be opened.
You can bring your own vehicle into Bangladesh provided that it has a valid Carnet de Passage and that the vehicle is registered in your home country and re-exported within the specified time.