Unseen Bangladesh
Narayanganj District · Dhaka Division · পানাম নগর
Panam Nagar travel guide
An abandoned historic town lined with 19th-century merchants' two-storey houses; great for photography.
At a glance
- Period
- 19th century (merchants' settlement)
- Buildings
- About 52
- Location
- Sonargaon, 27 km from Dhaka
- Opening hours
- Department of Archaeology hours (closed Sunday)
History and details
Sonargaon was one of ancient Bengal's capitals — the capital of Bengal in the Sultanate period, and in the 16th century the stronghold of Isa Khan, leader of the Baro Bhuiyans. Its muslin was famous around the world.
Panam Nagar grew up in the 19th century, when wealthy Hindu merchants (mainly cloth and indigo traders) built two- and three-storey houses in a mix of European and Mughal styles along both sides of a narrow street. Their carved pillars, coloured glass and iron grilles show their wealth.
After Partition in 1947 and the 1964 riots most residents left for India and the town was abandoned. In 2006 the World Monuments Fund put it on its list of the world's 100 most endangered sites. The Department of Archaeology now looks after it.
Things to do
- Walk the old street and look at the houses' decoration
- See the Panam bridge and the canals around
- Visit the Folk Art and Crafts Museum the same day
How to get to Panam Nagar
2–3 km by rickshaw from Mograpara crossing.
Narayanganj is about 20 km from Dhaka; the journey takes 1 hour.
- 🚌 By bus: Buses from Gulistan to Narayanganj or Mograpara (Sonargaon), fare ৳30–80.
- 🚆 By train: Narayanganj commuter train from Kamalapur, fare ৳20–30.
Where to stay
The district town has basic and mid-range hotels (roughly ৳800–2,500). Government circuit houses and dak bungalows can be used with permission.
What to eat
Sonargaon pitha (rice cakes), food stalls along the Shitalakshya
Good to know
- The old buildings are fragile — going inside or climbing the walls is not allowed
- Visit the Folk Art and Crafts Museum on the same day
More to see nearby
- Folk Art and Crafts Museum (1 km)
- Goaldi Mosque (Sultanate period, 2 km)
- Tomb of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah (3 km)
More places to visit in Narayanganj district
- Folk Art and Crafts Museum, Sonargaon — A museum in the Boro Sardar Bari; folk art, nakshi kantha and gardens around a lake.
- Hajiganj Fort — A Mughal river fort on the Shitalakshya, built to stop Magh and Portuguese pirates.
- Sonakanda Fort — Another Mughal river fort on the east bank of the Shitalakshya, known for its high cannon platform.