Your Ultimate Guide to Night Markets in Asia

Discover the best day and night markets across Asia, organized by country and location to help you find local treasures.

Nilkhet Book Market

Dhaka's lane-by-lane second-hand and discounted book market beside Dhaka University, known for narrow aisles under tin roofs.

Cultural Experience
Hidden Gems
Stacks of books at the Nilkhet market in Dhaka

Nilkhet is Dhaka's best-known second-hand book market, packed into narrow, winding alleys beside Dhaka University and New Market. Shelves line the lanes under tin roofs, and older titles are often found on bottom shelves or in dim corners.

What you will find

  • Today the stock leans toward exam guidebooks for BCS, medical and university admissions, along with notebooks.
  • Some English fiction, novels and poetry are still available, though vendors say they sell slowly.
  • Older Bangla comics and children's series, such as Tin Goyenda and Masud Rana, are a nostalgic find for collectors.

Why visit

For generations, families came to Nilkhet to buy books together, and it remains a living piece of Dhaka's reading culture. It is a browsing market rather than a food market, so pair it with a snack stop nearby.

Good to know

  • Hours were not stated in the sources we found; shops generally keep daytime hours, so check locally.
  • The lanes are narrow and crowded. Keep valuables close.
  • Prices are often negotiable.