Bangladesh: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Bangladesh feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 105 written places.
Intensely curious and hospitable; expect crowds, questions and endless invitations to tea.
✓ Considered polite
- Eat with your right hand only - locals do, and joining in is appreciated
- Accept tea when offered; refusing outright can disappoint your host
- Dress conservatively - long trousers and covered shoulders for everyone
- Return greetings warmly - Assalamu alaikum answered with Wa alaikum assalam
✗ Better avoided
- Use your left hand to eat or pass food
- Show anger in public - calm patience achieves far more
- Take offence at questions about age, family and marriage - curiosity is friendliness
- Point the soles of your feet at people or touch anyone's head
Worth knowing
- The weekend is Friday and Saturday, and Friday midday pauses for prayers
- Alcohol is tightly restricted - a small number of licensed hotels and clubs serve foreigners
- Cash rules - carry small taka notes for rickshaws, tea stalls and markets
- Rickshaw fares are agreed before you climb in, and gentle haggling is expected
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.