Jamālpur, Bangladesh

Capital City

Living in Jamālpur is no picnic. With a population of 158,873, this city on the Old Brahmaputra river is the 31st largest in Bangladesh. The literacy rate is a decent 80.10%, though nearly a quarter of the residents are under 10 years old. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the city was once known as Singhjani before being renamed after a Yemeni holy man.

Jamālpur may appeal to those seeking an authentic Bangladeshi experience, but the challenges of daily life here are not to be taken lightly. This is no destination for the faint of heart.