You may have been around Karwan Bazar countless times. But did you ever stop to notice that there is a Mughal mosque just sitting amidst the hustle and bustle of the area? Similarly, perhaps you go to Satmasjid Road frequently. But have you ever stopped for a few minutes to see the age-old Eidgah there?

"There is nothing in Dhaka that I have not seen before; no place of interest that I have not visited" -- I naively used to declare. I was so wrong!

Ironically, locals are the ones who often fail to appreciate the beauty and the charm of their ownplace. Perhaps, it is due to the rush and monotony of everyday life or just general familiarity with the city that our eyes have become desensitised to it.

This may be true anywhere in the world although I reckon it is true for Dhaka because strangely it seems that our city likes to keep secrets. It does not reveal itself to those who are not interested. It will aptly gauge your curiosity and only offer a limited number of options if you actively do not seek more.

Or, in other words, the bitter reality is that the citizens and authorities alike are not doing enough to promote the city's culture, food, points of interest, heritage, etc.

I always like to play the pun that our city is called Dhaka: although not a correct etymology, our city is indeed "dhaka" -- covered, veiled or hidden, in Bangla.

If an actual tourist asks about your recommendations of historical sites to visit, and your reply only consists of places like Lalbagh Fort and Ahsan Manzil, then how much of Dhaka are you really aware of? Also, speaking of the more prominent places, when was the last time, if ever, you actually went there?

The same goes for food. If your culinary excursions are limited to places such as Nazira Bazar, Banani 11, and a few brands like Hajir Biriyani, then how much of Dhaka have you really explored?

You may have been around Karwan Bazar countless times. But did you ever stop to notice that there is a Mughal mosque just sitting amidst the hustle and bustle of the area? Similarly, perhaps you go to Satmasjid Road frequently. But have you ever stopped for a few minutes to see the age-old Eidgah there? 

There are many such temples, churches, eateries, art galleries, parks, museums, and so on that you and I probably have never stepped into.

Moreover, what happens is that we usually just stick to our own radius or a set of routes and areas involving our own workplace, socialisation, recreation, and home, outside of which we hardly know much of.

To illustrate, I will admit that I am clueless when I go to Mirpur! The place is simply not in my radius or set of routes and areas.

But, shouldn't we change that?

Exploring Dhaka can be fun! Go on a "daytrip" in Dhaka, even though you live here. Start off by making a bucket list of the places you always wanted to explore. Then, with wanderlust in mind, set out to explore your own city, see it through the eyes of a tourist.

You will be pleasantly surprised with how much Dhaka has to offer!