A Scottish traveller who recently visited Bangladesh says his trip to Dhaka was marred by repeated overcharging, an outdated visa-on-arrival process and other hassles, despite praising the country’s hospitality and food.
Scottish content creator and traveller Hugh, who has visited more than 50 countries and almost every nation in South Asia, recently documented his experiences in a series of social media videos after travelling to Bangladesh, the final country on his regional travel list.
Trouble begins at the airport
Hugh said his difficulties started immediately after landing in Dhaka.
While applying for a visa on arrival, immigration officials asked him to email copies of his return ticket and hotel booking for printing—a process he described as one of the most outdated and inconvenient he had encountered. It took about one and a half hours to receive his visa.
He also struggled to withdraw cash at airport ATMs and eventually had to use one outside the terminal, where he discovered the withdrawal limit was Tk10,000 per transaction.
When booking an Uber from the airport, the app quoted Tk590-600, but drivers demanded between Tk1,000 and Tk1,400. He eventually accepted a higher fare and later found that a Tk500 toll charge was actually only Tk80.
After arriving at InterContinental Dhaka, he said he also felt pressured to pay extra for parking and tips. “In Bangladesh, it feels like prices change the moment people realise you’re a foreign tourist,” Hugh said.
A Tk50 rickshaw ride becomes Tk100
Hugh said he repeatedly encountered inflated prices while travelling around Dhaka. On one occasion, a rickshaw fare agreed at Tk50 doubled to Tk100 after the journey.
Near New Market, a shopkeeper quoted Tk500 for a traditional prayer cap. After bargaining, Hugh bought it for Tk300, only to later learn similar caps usually sell for Tk50-100. He was also asked to pay Tk100 as a tip after being helped into traditional clothing.
“Seeing tourists and increasing prices like this—I really don’t like it. It’s a form of dishonesty,” he said.
Similar experience at Sadarghat
At Sadarghat river terminal, Hugh negotiated a Tk40 boat fare but was asked to pay Tk200 after reaching the other side. Following protests from an elderly bystander, he eventually paid Tk100.
He also expressed concern over the heavily polluted Buriganga River, saying he saw food plates being washed in the river and plastic waste being dumped from launches.
“Absolute chaos”
Dhaka’s transport system also left a strong impression on Hugh. He described passengers boarding moving buses, buses jostling through traffic and frequent road accidents as “absolute chaos”.
Travelling in a CNG auto-rickshaw also made him feel claustrophobic because of the metal cage surrounding passengers, although he later understood its purpose.
His culinary experience was far more positive. He enjoyed Kacchi biryani, chicken tikka, paratha and fuchka, while giving a pistachio drink a perfect 10 out of 10. He found borhani less appealing and the coconut pudding overly sweet.
Not all bad
Despite the overcharging, Hugh said Bangladesh left him with many positive memories. He spent time talking with local people, played football and cricket with children, and met strangers who refused to take money for tea. One shopkeeper even offered him a bottle of water free of charge.
“The people of Bangladesh are genuinely wonderful. They welcomed me and even offered me water,” he said. He also noticed that people’s reactions changed depending on what he wore.
“When I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, everyone stared at me. But after I changed into a panjabi and a prayer cap, people stopped staring. I blended in much more.”
Experts call for action
Kamrul Hasan, a teacher at the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Dhaka, said overcharging foreign visitors is a longstanding problem in Bangladesh’s tourism sector.
“It’s not only tourists—even foreign visitors often face harassment from the moment they arrive at the airport,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh.
He warned that videos of such incidents circulating on social media could damage Bangladesh’s image and discourage potential visitors. He said those responsible should be identified, brought to justice and made to issue public apologies.
Abul Khayer Md Yunus, director of the Centre for Moral Development at the University of Dhaka, said opportunistic behaviour has become increasingly normalised in society.
“It’s not only foreign tourists—people across the country are frequently victims of various forms of fraud. Taking advantage of others whenever possible is gradually becoming socially normalised,” he said.
“The dishonesty of a significant section of society is damaging Bangladesh’s image internationally.”
