Chandpur (চাঁদপুর): travel guide

Hilsa fish capital of Bangladesh at the confluence of Padma, Meghna, and Dakatia rivers — overnight launches from Dhaka arrive at dawn with stunning river views.

Chandpur is in Chandpur district, Chattogram division, Bangladesh. Compare bus, train and air fares to Chandpur and see the route on a map.

Things to do in Chandpur

  • Boro Station Hilsa Landing Centre (বড়স্টেশন ইলিশ বাজার): Fish landing ghat and hilsa market (Ilish Bazar) near Boro Station, where hilsa from the Padma-Meghna is landed and sold; day-trippers come to eat fried hilsa and buy fresh fish to take home. Market, free entry, best time: Hilsa season (monsoon to autumn); quiet during the October breeding-season fishing ban
  • Angikar Liberation War Memorial (অঙ্গীকার): 15-ft Liberation War sculpture of a raised hand gripping a rifle, designed by Syed Abdullah Khalid and set on a lake in central Chandpur town in 1989; the district's main memorial. Monument, free entry
  • Lohagarh Math (লোহাগড় মঠ): Three tall brick temple towers (maths) left by the Lohagarh zamindars beside the Dakatia River in Balia union, Faridganj. There were originally five, and their age is uncertain, with estimates of about 400 to 700 years. Historical, free entry, best time: October to March
  • Molhead (Trinodi Mohona Boro Station) (মোলহেড (তিন নদীর মোহনা)): Riverside point at Boro Station where the Padma, Meghna and Dakatia meet; popular for sunsets, river views and trawler or speedboat rides. Strong currents and whirlpools form here, and visitors may not stay late at night. Nature, free entry, best time: Winter and early summer
  • Hajiganj Boro Masjid (হাজীগঞ্জ ঐতিহাসিক বড় মসজিদ): Landmark mosque in Hajiganj bazaar. Haji Ahmad Ali Patwari began the present building around 1930. It is known for its 188-ft minaret and very large Jumatul Wida congregations. Religious, free entry
  • Roktodhara Memorial (রক্তধারা স্মৃতিসৌধ): Liberation War memorial at Boro Station marking a 1971 killing site near the Meghna-Dakatia confluence. Monument, free entry
  • Rupsha Zamindar Bari (রূপসা জমিদার বাড়ি): Mid-18th-century zamindar estate in Faridganj upazila with three brick mansions, a mosque (Masjid-e-Noor), a family graveyard and the old kachari (estate office); one of the better-preserved zamindar houses in Bangladesh. Historical, free entry, best time: October to March
  • Meghna Char (Mini Cox's Bazar) (মিনি কক্সবাজার): Sandy char at the river confluence about 1.5 km from Molhead, run privately by Swapna Tourism and nicknamed Mini Cox's Bazar. Beach, free entry, best time: Winter to early summer
  • Hazrat Shah Rasti Mazar (হযরত শাহরাস্তি (রহ.) এর মাজার): Shrine of the 14th-century saint Hazrat Shah Rasti, after whom Shahrasti upazila is named. An old three-domed mosque stands beside it, with a large pond to the north, and an annual Urs is held. Religious, free entry

Where to stay in Chandpur

  • Hotel Grand Hilsha Chandpur (Budget), about ৳3,200 - ৳4,200/night. 2-star, 20 rooms, free WiFi, 24-hour front desk
  • Gazi Residential Hotel Chandpur (Budget), about ৳3,600 - ৳6,400/night. 2-star, 20 air-conditioned rooms, free WiFi
  • Meghna Shorobor Resort (Resort), about ৳7,400 - ৳9,200/night. Resort in Matlab Uttar, outside Chandpur town
  • Hotel Elite Luxury (MidRange), about From ৳3,200/night. 3-star, free breakfast, river-view deluxe room, free parking
  • Western Residential Hotel Chandpur (Budget), about Check with hotel for current rates. 2-star town hotel with a 24-hour front desk

Travel advice for Chandpur

  • Boats to Meghna Char: Reported fares are Tk 100 per person by trawler and at least Tk 300 by speedboat. Return to the Molhead side by 5 pm.
  • Be careful swimming at the confluence: Strong currents and whirlpools form where the rivers meet, and a tourist drowned at Meghna Char in June 2019. Do not swim in monsoon unless you are a strong swimmer.
  • One Minute ice cream: The 'One Minute' sweet shop on Press Club Road, near Kalibari in Chandpur town, is known for its ice cream, which is made in Chandpur.
  • Hilsa at Manu Miyar Hotel: Take a trawler from Boro Station (about 30 minutes) to Rajrajeshwar char, where Manu Miyar Hotel near the ghat is recommended for fried hilsa, hilsa roe and hilsa curry.
  • Buy fresh hilsa at the river ghat: Day-trippers buy fresh hilsa at the Ilish Bazar fish ghat near Boro Station before heading home. The ghat goes quiet during the government's 22-day breeding-season fishing ban in October.
  • Fried hilsa at Boro Station: Restaurants around the Molhead and the Ilish Bazar near Boro Station serve freshly fried hilsa. Spend the afternoon at the confluence and eat in the evening.

More places to explore in Bangladesh

JatraSathi is a free Bangladesh trip planner in English and Bangla. Prices are estimates; check before you travel.