Cheat sheet to Dhaka: 10 things to know

It's Bangladesh's capital ... but what else do you know about Dhaka? Here are 10 surprising facts

Dhaka -- spread over 150 square kilometers and home to an estimated 10 million people -- is the most discreet of Asian capitals. Most people know of it, but few have set foot in the city. So what's it really like? Here are 10 things you'll only know about Dhaka if you've actually been.

1. World's worst traffic

Sure, many Asian cities could stake a claim for the world's worst traffic. But in Dhaka, "rush hour" is what they call the least busy times, when rushing is at least somewhat possible.
A recent government report stated that traffic stands still for more than seven hours a day. You’ll be hard pressed to see the point of doing anything but walking.
Traffic lights function as mere decorations as hundreds of thousands of rickshaws, buses, carts, bicycles, cars and motorbikes battle for space.
Watching rickshaw drivers scream and ring their bells to be heard over the deafening horns of buses and cars can make for an entertaining afternoon. But only if you can catch your breath through the clouds of smoke.
As for getting around, it’s almost certainly quicker to walk, hop or crawl.

2. Dhaka is addicted to cha 

Fuel of the nation, cha (tea) is sold every few meters from stalls in the streets of Dhaka.
The sweet, milky, hot cups of tea are a caffeine fix Bangladeshi style. Rickshaw drivers claim to drink up to 20 cups a day, and if it can give them the power to fight their way through Dhaka, then it's got to be something special.

3. Rickshaw art is a serious business

In a city of cycle rickshaws, the owners take their decoration very seriously. Hindu gods, local film stars, depictions of Mecca and bizarre landscapes cover the rear flaps of rickshaws.
Great pride is taken in a newly painted vehicle, and groups of drivers sit on street corners admiring the latest upgrades.
The artwork, created to order by young boys in crowded workshops on Bangsal Road in Old Dhaka, can be picked up cheaply and makes a great souvenir.

4. Home to a 300-year old market

In predominantly Muslim Dhaka, Shankaria Bazaar, known locally as Hindu Street, is a vibrant splash of color, craziness and cacophony.
The area was first settled 300 years ago by Hindu artisans, and the descendants of the original settlers continue their crafts in tiny workshops tucked away in narrow alleyways.
Look out for kite makers, jewelers, tombstone engravers and artists painting pictures of Hindu gods in these caverns behind the decorated shop fronts.
Shankaria Bazaar is in Old Dhaka, a 10-minute walk northwest of the Sadarghat Boat Terminal.

5. The river never stops flowing ... with life

Dhaka is summed up by all that happens along the banks of the Buringanga. The river running through Old Dhaka is busy day and night, with porters, passengers and boatmen all jostling for space along the muddy banks.
It's a major arrival point for those coming from the countryside to seek their fortunes in the big city, and the Buriganga riverside is pure Bangladesh.