Plugs and voltage
Bangladesh dey run on 220-240V at 50Hz, so check say your devices fit handle dat range (most phone and laptop charger fit). Sockets mainly na Type C, D and G - di round two-pin and di chunky three-pin British style. Bring universal adapter; cheap ones dey sell for New Market for Dhaka but quality dey vary. Power cut (locally dem call am load shedding) still dey happen, so power bank dey genuinely useful.
Language basics
Di national language na Bangla (Bengali). English dey common for hotels, airlines and with younger people for Dhaka, but small words go carry you far:
- Assalamu alaikum / Nomoshkar - hello (Muslim / Hindu)
- Dhonnobad - thank you
- Koto? - how much?
- Bhalo - good
- Pani - water
Numbers and prices often dem dey talk am for taka (BDT); learn 100, 500 and 1000 to bargain for market.
Packing
- Modest, light cotton clothes - e hot and humid, and covering shoulder and knee dey show respect, especially for women and for mosques
- Scarf or orna for temple and mosque visit
- Stomach medicine, rehydration salts and hand sanitiser
- Mosquito repellent with DEET (dengue na real risk for rainy season)
- Slip-on shoes - you go dey remove am often
Connectivity
Local SIM from Grameenphone, Robi or Banglalink dey cheap but need your passport and fit take time to register. Wi-Fi patchy outside hotels. eSIM wey you activate before you land go save you all dis wahala and e go work di moment you reach Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal airport.
7 quick tips
- Carry small taka notes - rickshaw, tea stall and CNG auto-rickshaw rarely get change
- Agree di fare first for CNG and rickshaw, or use ride apps like Pathao and Uber
- Drink only bottled or filtered water and skip ice from street vendor
- Dhaka traffic dey tense - budget double di time wey you expect for any trip
- Friday na weekend - plenty offices close Friday and Saturday
- Ask before you snap people, especially women and for religious sites
- Try di food - biryani, hilsa fish, pitha and sweet mishti no dey miss
Stay connected for Bangladesh
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