Floating Hotel on Buriganga River
Desk Report
Published: 20 Aug 2022, 09:46 pm
The wharf next to Mitford Hospital (Sir Salimullah Medical College) has basically converted trawlers into floating boarding. These are Faridpur Muslim Boarding, Shariatpur Muslim Boarding, Buriganga and Uma Ujala. In the beginning, Uma Ujala had only boarding for Hindus. Now Hindus and Muslims can live together. Apart from this, 'Najma', which was closed a century ago, is also lying in a dilapidated condition at the ghat.
Earlier there were floating hotels in various places. Initially, Sadarghat-adjacent Mosque Ghat, followed by Sadarghat Launch Terminal area Wiseghat and lastly at Badamtali Kheyaghat. Due to the construction of new ghats, the location of the hotel has been changed repeatedly. Due to this the number of dwellers has decreased.
Most of the families of low income people in Dhaka live in villages. They don't have the option of floating hotels to stay for less money. The hawkers, petty traders, service workers, van drivers, day laborers, sidewalk vendors around Sadarghat, Badamtali area and Buriganga mostly live in floating boarding. Besides, many people from far and wide spend the night here.
Shariatpur has the largest number of Muslim boardings, with a total of 56 cabins. Faridpur Muslim Boarding has 46 cabins, Uma Ujala has 42 cabins and Buriganga Boarding, which is relatively small in size, has 30 cabins.
Single bedroom (cabin) rent for night stay in floating hotel is 100 to 120 taka. If you take a double cabin, you have to pay Tk 150. A double cabin can accommodate two people. However, if you are a tall person, your feet will come out of the door when sleeping in a single cabin.
There are four floating residential hotels lined up along the Buriganga River in Old Dhaka. Many low-income people have been staying in these night shelters for years. Details in the gallery...