Hatirjheel Waterfront

City by the Water. Discover Dhaka from a Different Angle.

Hatirjheel gives central Dhaka something the city rarely offers on this scale: open water, long sightlines, roads, bridges, pedestrian space, and room for recreation within a dense urban landscape. The Hatirjheel-Begunbari project grew from an urgent urban problem. The low-lying Hatirjheel and Begunbari areas carried stormwater from surrounding neighborhoods, but encroachment, pollution, and unplanned development threatened that drainage function. RAJUK, BUET, Dhaka WASA, LGED, and other agencies developed the integrated project to protect stormwater retention capacity, improve drainage, create transport links, and provide public recreational space. The completed project covers roughly 300 acres. Its major infrastructure includes roads, service roads, bridges, overpasses, pedestrian paths, and a long lakeside walkway. Contemporary reports from the 2013 opening recorded approximately 9 kilometers of connecting road, 8 kilometers of service roads, about 9 kilometers of footpath, and roughly 10 kilometers of lakeside walkway. The water and bridges create the area's strongest visual identity. At sunset, residents gather along the edges for walking, conversation, snacks, and views of the surrounding city. Street-food sellers add another layer of everyday Dhaka life, particularly during the evening. Hatirjheel also supports a water-taxi network connecting several points around the lake. The service has offered commuters an alternative to road traffic, but visitors should not assume a fixed timetable. In April 2026, fuel shortages forced operators to reduce approximately half of scheduled trips, demonstrating how service levels can change. The project's environmental role deserves careful description. Hatirjheel functions as an important stormwater-retention and drainage system for surrounding urban catchments. It helps reduce waterlogging risk in adjacent areas, but it does not function as the single flood-control basin for all of metropolitan Dhaka.