Bhawal National Park
A sal forest just north of Dhaka, once the royal hunting ground of the Bhawal zamindars.
📍 Location & access
🧭 Planning your trip
The best window for Bhawal National Park is Nov – Mar. November to February is the easiest season for travel across Bangladesh generally - cool and dry - while the monsoon between June and September is when the haors, waterfalls and hills are at their most dramatic.
How to reach: About 40 km north of Dhaka; reachable by bus or private car along the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway in around 1–1.5 hours.
Gazipur is known for bhawal National Park, garment industry hub.
History
Once the private hunting reserve of the Bhawal zamindar estate - whose "Bhawal sannyasi case" involving a mysterious ascetic claiming to be the presumed-dead Kumar of Bhawal became one of colonial Bengal’s most famous legal dramas - the sal forest was declared a national park in 1974, one of Bangladesh’s first.
✅ Tips for visiting
- Weekdays are far quieter than weekends, when the park draws large crowds from Dhaka.
- Stick to marked trails - parts of the forest have suffered from encroachment and are being restored.
- Combine with a visit to Bhawal Rajbari, the old zamindar palace nearby.
🧭 Nearby
- Bhawal Rajbari
- National Martyrs’ Memorial, Savar
- Gazipur’s Nuhash Palli
Sunrise and sunset at Bhawal National Park today
Useful for planning the golden hour - 11:36 of daylight.
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Forest MoulvibazarFrequently asked questions about Bhawal National Park
Where is Bhawal National Park?
Bhawal National Park is in Gazipur district, Bangladesh, at 24.0154°N, 90.3670°E.
When is the best time to visit Bhawal National Park?
The best season to visit Bhawal National Park is Nov – Mar.
What is Bhawal National Park known for?
A sal forest just north of Dhaka, once the royal hunting ground of the Bhawal zamindars.
How do I get to Bhawal National Park?
About 40 km north of Dhaka; reachable by bus or private car along the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway in around 1–1.5 hours.
How much does it cost to visit Bhawal National Park?
Entry roughly ৳20–50 (locals approx.).