What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Dhaka

Relocating to Dhaka

About the City

The capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka is the tenth largest city in the world with 18 million people living in the Greater Dhaka area. It’s also the seat of government for Bangladesh, as well as the most important financial and cultural area. It’s located on the banks of the Buriganga River, which is partly why it used to be known as the Venice of the East. Other names for Dhaka include ‘City of Mosques’ and the ‘Rickshaw Capital of the World’.

The modern day Dhaka developed in the latter part of the 19th century and is now one of the world’s fastest growing megacities. It has enjoyed a rush of investment from overseas, but all of this development means the city faces high levels of poverty, pollution, crime and an unstable political situation — all important to consider for expats planning on moving to Dhaka.

The Climate in Dhaka

The Dhaka climate is typically hot, wet and humid. It’s classified as a tropical climate and the city has a distinct monsoon season. During the monsoon season in Dhaka the temperature is at an average of 25°C (77°F). The monsoon season is between May and the end of September and during these months, approximately 80% of the yearly rainfall falls. The increase in rainfall during these months affects those who live and work in Dhaka, as there is a marked increase in water and air pollution. The climate is certainly something to consider when thinking about whether moving to Dhaka, as it may not suit everyone.

Finding Accommodation 

Wherever expats are planning to move to, it’s always prudent to visit the destination city beforehand, particularly when it comes to finding somewhere to live. Relocating from anywhere across the world can be stressful and it’s important to find somewhere to live that suits the family or person moving. Many job roles will have, as part of the relocation package, some form of help to find accommodation. This usually involves free accommodation for a certain amount of time in order to give people time to find somewhere that is perfect for them once in Dhaka.

Accommodation in Dhaka varies hugely and, as there is a major period of expansion and building going on, it’s important to ensure that the site is not situated on old marshland as flooding can be a problem doing monsoon season. When looking for somewhere to live in Dhaka it is important to check the water and electricity supply, take a mattress and pillows if possible, and ensure that the apartment or house chosen isn’t too near to other buildings, as they can be crammed in.

Also there are some websites for find accommodation in Dhaka that can be useful for expats, for example Ehkanei.com or Lamudi.