Hussaini Dalan
হোসেনি দালান
Dhaka's main Shia imambara from the Mughal era, white-walled beside a large tank, the heart of the city's Muharram.
At a glance
- Where
- Dhaka district, Dhaka division
- Best time
- winter (Dec–Jan) and spring (Feb–Mar)
- Time needed
- About 1 h
Representative photo from Dhaka district, not of this exact place. Have a photo of your own? Let us know →
Hussaini Dalan was first built in the 17th century, when Prince Shah Shuja governed Bengal, as a house of mourning for Imam Hussain. The present building is largely an 1823 rebuild, with a flat roof added by the Dhaka Nawabs after the 1897 earthquake, so Mughal and colonial styles sit side by side. A long white hall stands on a raised platform, and on its south side a deep water tank reflects the verandah. In the first ten days of Muharram it fills with majlis gatherings, and the Ashura procession sets out from here.
How to get there
Rickshaw from Chankharpul, Bakshibazar or Lalbagh; it is on Hussaini Dalan Road close to Dhaka Medical College.
Good to know
Dress modestly and take off your shoes where asked. Around Ashura the area is very crowded and security is tight, so go on a quieter day if you only want to see the building.
Where to stay in Dhaka
Common questions
Where is Hussaini Dalan?
Hussaini Dalan is in Dhaka district, Dhaka division, Bangladesh.
How do you get to Hussaini Dalan?
Rickshaw from Chankharpul, Bakshibazar or Lalbagh; it is on Hussaini Dalan Road close to Dhaka Medical College.
When is the best time to visit Hussaini Dalan?
The best time is winter (Dec–Jan) and spring (Feb–Mar). Allow about 1 h for the visit.
More from Dhaka
District guide →
Place Lalbagh Fort
লালবাগ কেল্লাAn unfinished 17th-century Mughal fort with lawns, a tomb and a mosque, a calm green pocket in Old Dhaka.
Place Ahsan Manzil
আহসান মঞ্জিলThe pink riverside palace of the Dhaka Nawabs, now a museum facing the busy Buriganga.
Place Star Mosque (Tara Masjid)
তারা মসজিদA small mosque in Armanitola covered in star-patterned mosaic made from broken china.
Place Sadarghat and the Buriganga
সদরঘাট ও বুড়িগঙ্গাDhaka's chaotic river port, where multi-deck launches leave for the south and wooden boats ferry people across.
Nearby
Food Bakarkhani
Dhaka · বাকরখানিFlaky, crisp layered bread baked in clay ovens, Old Dhaka's breakfast with tea.
Place Dhakeshwari National Temple
Dhaka · ঢাকেশ্বরী জাতীয় মন্দিরBangladesh's national Hindu temple, said to give Dhaka its name, busiest during Durga Puja.
Place Star Mosque (Tara Masjid)
Dhaka · তারা মসজিদA small mosque in Armanitola covered in star-patterned mosaic made from broken china.
Representative photo Hidden place Bara Katra
Dhaka · বড় কাটরাThe broken gatehouse of a 17th-century Mughal caravanserai, hidden among the shops of Chawkbazar near the Buriganga.