Central Park and Zoo
কেন্দ্রীয় উদ্যান ও চিড়িয়াখানা
A big riverside park and zoo on an old British racecourse, where Rajshahi families spend their holidays.
At a glance
- Where
- Rajshahi district, Rajshahi division
- Best time
- winter (Dec–Jan), spring (Feb–Mar) and late autumn (Oct–Nov)
- Time needed
- About 2 h
Shaheed A.H.M. Qamaruzzaman Central Park covers about 33 acres beside the Padma, on land that was a horse racecourse in British times. It opened as a public park in 1972, and a zoo was added in 1983. Inside are a lake with paddle boats, shaded walking paths, children's rides and a small hill with a view over the river. The zoo keeps deer, monkeys, crocodiles, birds and a few big animals.
How to get there
It is in the west of the city near the Padma; take a rickshaw or auto-rickshaw and ask for 'Chiriyakhana'.
Good to know
Weekdays are calmer; on Fridays and Eid holidays the park is packed.
Where to stay in Rajshahi
Common questions
Where is Central Park and Zoo?
Central Park and Zoo is in Rajshahi district, Rajshahi division, Bangladesh. Rajshahi is about 265 km from Dhaka by road.
How do you get to Central Park and Zoo?
It is in the west of the city near the Padma; take a rickshaw or auto-rickshaw and ask for 'Chiriyakhana'.
When is the best time to visit Central Park and Zoo?
The best time is winter (Dec–Jan), spring (Feb–Mar) and late autumn (Oct–Nov). Allow about 2 h for the visit.
More from Rajshahi
District guide →
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Place Padma Riverfront
পদ্মা নদীর পাড়A long riverside promenade where the city gathers at sunset to watch the wide Padma.
Hidden place ▶ Video Bagha Mosque
বাঘা মসজিদA 16th-century ten-domed mosque with rich terracotta work, beside a large old pond.
Nearby
Place Varendra Research Museum
Rajshahi · বরেন্দ্র রিসার্চ জাদুঘরBangladesh's oldest museum, packed with stone sculpture from the ancient Varendra region.
Place Shrine of Shah Makhdum Ruposh
Rajshahi · হযরত শাহ মখদুম রূপোশের দরগাহThe city's best-known shrine, resting place of the Sufi saint after whom Rajshahi's airport is named.
Place Boro Kuthi
Rajshahi · বড়কুঠিAn 18th-century Dutch trading house on the Padma bank, one of the oldest buildings in Rajshahi.
Food Date Palm Molasses (Khejur Gur)
Rajshahi · খেজুর গুড়Winter's sweetest treat: date palm sap boiled down into dark, smoky molasses.