Vehicles

1. গাড়ি

   gari

   Vehicle / Car

   Usage

   The broadest word for a vehicle — car or train depending on context. Safe when you are not sure what will turn up

2. বাস

   bas

   Bus

   Usage

   Covers city buses and intercity coaches. Dhaka city buses show their destination only in Bengali

3. এসি বাস

   AC bas

   Air-conditioned bus

   Usage

   Fares on intercity coaches split sharply by whether there is air conditioning. Show this at the counter to get the cooled one

4. রিকশা

   riksha

   Cycle rickshaw

   Usage

   Dhaka is one of the world's great rickshaw cities, and the painted panels are famous. For short hops — there is no meter, so fix the fare first

5. সিএনজি

   CNG

   Auto-rickshaw

   Usage

   In Bangladesh the motorised three-wheeler is named after its fuel. The green cabs are caged in wire mesh — ask for the meter

6. ইজিবাইক

   easy bike

   Electric three-wheeler

   Usage

   The battery-powered shared three-wheeler. It runs fixed routes at a flat fare and is the backbone of transport in provincial towns

7. লেগুনা

   leguna

   Shared minivan

   Usage

   Dhaka's small shared van, with benches facing each other in the back. Cheap and very crowded — the conductor shouts the destination

8. টেম্পো

   tempo

   Shared tempo

   Usage

   A larger shared three-wheeler on a fixed route, with a flat local fare

9. ভ্যান

   bhyan

   Flatbed rickshaw van

   Usage

   A three-wheeler with a flat platform instead of a seat. In villages it carries both goods and passengers

10. ট্যাক্সি

    taiksi

    Taxi

    Usage

    Not many about. Outside the airport a ride-hailing app is the reliable option

11. মোটরসাইকেল

    motorsaikel

    Motorcycle

    Usage

    App-hailed bike rides are the fastest way through Dhaka's traffic. Always take the helmet you are offered

12. সাইকেল

    saikel

    Bicycle

    Usage

    Pleasant on the country roads around Sylhet and the Sundarbans. Dangerous on Dhaka's main roads

13. ট্রেন

    tren

    Train

    Usage

    The Dhaka–Chittagong and Dhaka–Sylhet lines are the main ones. Reserved seats need booking ahead

14. মেট্রোরেল

    metrorel

    Metro rail

    Usage

    Dhaka's elevated line. You buy a card or ticket and pass a gate, and it skips the traffic entirely

15. লঞ্চ

    lonch

    River launch

    Usage

    The multi-deck passenger boats that link southern Bangladesh, most famously Dhaka to Barisal overnight. Cabin classes vary — avoid boarding an overloaded one, especially at holiday peaks

16. নৌকা

    nouka

    Boat

    Usage

    The small or rowed boat — for river crossings and for threading the Sundarbans channels

17. স্পিডবোট

    speedboat

    Speedboat

    Usage

    Saves time crossing rivers, but life jackets are often missing and accidents do happen — do not push it

18. ফেরি

    feri

    Ferry

    Usage

    The vehicle ferry across a river. Fewer since the big bridges opened, but still working in the countryside

19. বিমান

    biman

    Airplane

    Usage

    Domestic flights link Dhaka with Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Chittagong. An airport is "biman bondor"

20. অ্যাম্বুলেন্স

    ambulans

    Ambulance

    Usage

    Show this in an emergency. Bangladesh's emergency number is 999

21. ট্রাক

    trak

    Truck

    Usage

    The kings of the highway, brightly painted. Overtaking gets wild at night, so avoid the very front seats on an overnight coach

22. ভাড়ার গাড়ি

    bharar gari

    Rental car

    Usage

    Normally hired with a driver — confirm at the outset whether self-drive is what you are getting

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