Today, let’s explore a hidden gem that has the power to amaze with its rich history, food, and nature and its wonders.

We are talking about Bogura, and this is a solid guide on visiting the best places throughout Bogura within a tight budget.

Bogura is often described as the capital of North Bengal. It is the gateway to the Rangpur Division. It has a pristine shoreline along the mighty Jamuna and is home to many archaeological sites.

To start our Bogura travel, the best way from Dhaka can be to take a bus from Gabtoli Bus Terminal to Sath Matha. The journey should start early in the morning to reach Sath Matha before 10 am.

The bus fare starts at 350 Tk. Arriving at the bustling city centre of Bogura, one could enjoy a typical Bengali breakfast of paratha and sweets. Bogura is famous for its misti doi. The best doi can be found in a shop named Asia. The meal could cost 40–50 Tk, while the prices for doi and sweets may vary. Overall, a round figure of 100 Tk is good enough.

Entrance of Mahasthangarh, Photo: Rinku Mondol

Now, the journey starts from Sath Matha to Shariakandi, the easternmost upazila of Bogura, right across the Jamuna River. The CNG from Sath Matha costs 100 Tk. The beauty of the farmlands spread across the road makes the journey much more memorable. The road quality was fine.

Once we arrive at Shariakandi, we can enjoy two famous ghats and the beauty of the Jamuna River. One is Prem Jamunar Ghat, and the other is Kalitola Ghat. Typically, Kalitola Ghat is a bit less crowded during noon. So, we can take a short boat ride, which costs 150 Tk. I personally loved the island created during dry seasons known as “char”. We visited many people who live on those temporary islands and learned about their experiences. It was sad to hear that their houses often get submerged during the rainy season or high tides. Overall, the view and the experience were amazing.

Jamuna River chor, Photo: Ruhul Amin

While returning, we took a CNG from Shariakandi that cost 40 Tk. We were searching for any majlis or a traditional lunch with smashed potato curry with beef and rice. Luckily, we found one that celebrated the death anniversary of a village leader near Shabgram. This is a huge feast given to the local people as well as the poor and needy people to celebrate the death anniversary of an important person. The food, despite looking familiar, tasted unique but delicious as it blends a local variant of potato called the “hagrai potato”, which has a sticky texture. To be honest, it felt like the taste of the food had multiplied due to the happiness of eating together with so many people. From Shabgram, we reached Matidali More during the afternoon at 2.30 pm, and it cost 20 Tk by electric rickshaw.

From Matidali More, we start our archaeological exploration towards Mahasthangarh. We took another electric rickshaw that cost 15 Tk and arrived at the Mahasthangarh Museum. From there, we bought tickets that cost 50 Tk per person. While we entered the site, we were flabbergasted by the ancient city structure.

The fortified heart of the ancient city is rectangular in plan, measuring roughly 1.523 kilometres long from north to south and 1.371 kilometres from east to west. The discoveries from the site were displayed in the museum. From roaming all across this spot and seeing the discovered artefacts, we again moved on to Gokul Medh. This is the base of a Buddhist shrine or stupa built from the 7th century AD onwards. The entry cost was 30 Tk. This was a phenomenal opportunity to learn about our ancient culture from such close distance to the actual artefacts.

There is a famous snack called “kotkoti” that is really popular locally. It is delicious to enjoy this biscuit-type snack with a perfect cup of tea.

After 4 pm, we moved towards Momo Inn. One of many budget resorts in Bogura, known for its huge ecopark, water park, boat facilities, and brilliant ambience. The rickshaw ride from Gokul Medh cost 30 Tk, and the entrance cost 100 Tk.

Then we moved on to TMSS Amusement World, which was filled with exquisite flora and fauna. This side was calm and peaceful. The park had multiple playing fields for children. They were also amazed to see monkeys that freely moved throughout the jungle. We enjoyed the motka tea, which was quite popular during the evening. It was delicious. The last point of the ecopark lets us see the mighty Karatoa River. We watched the sunset from there and really enjoyed the time spent.

From there, we planned to reach Colony. These streets are filled with kebabs and multiple breads. We asked the locals about the best food to try, and they suggested ordering a full chicken fry. It is very different from the traditional fried chicken. The taste was fantastic, and the chicken was really tender. The entire meal can be shared by 4 people, but ordering alone can cost a bare minimum of half a chicken worth 250 Tk. After this, we returned back to Sath Matha. From here, we can easily get a bus ticket to Dhaka at 350 Tk.

This entire journey can be easily covered with a 1500 Tk budget.

Still, there are so many places in Bogura that remain unexplored. Some notable places include Santahar Railway Museum, Naz Garden, Nawab Bari, and Bogura Cantonment. Despite this, Bogura is such an underrated place that truly satisfies a traveler’s desire. The combination of food, natural scenery, history, and modernity remains unmatched.