@senorBW
Thanks, but too late - I've bought the tickets! Good value at 2200RMB return. It does sound a challenging place, but I'm up for an adventure and keen to get to any nearby "new" country as I'm just 6 off completing my hundredth! Thanks for your advice.

Ocean, don't worry I think you will have a great time. Dhaka is a busy city and that makes it exciting. I spent three weeks in Bangladesh in 2010 and I met the nicest people ever. People are poor but extremely friendly and helpful. I didn't go with any tour group and although I admit the first days in Dhaka was too overwhelming, I really enjoyed the country. Don't forget to drink the tea from the street vendors, really delicious! Have a nice trip!

I went to Dhaka for a week, and had a great time. It is a huge city, and like many places, despite the reputation, the people are very friendly and hospitable. They seem to be almost charmed that a foreigner would go there. You will have a great time!

Very encouraging, Crazy, thank you.

I was assuming I could get a visa on arrival at the airport in Dhaka (see above), but on calling the Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing today they were fairly insistent that I needed to apply in writing through them. They were evasive about the option of getting a landing permit on arrival. My passport is currently being processed for the new Chinese work visa, so I don't have time to apply through Beijing (I fly 2nd August) . Can anyone confirm that visa on arrival is still happening in Dhaka? Bernie/Crazy Laowai... when did you last go? Was it operating then? Many thanks for any advice/confirmations.

No clear answer. Who do you believe or want to believe :)

1) The embassy you called.

2) US State Dept
travel.state.gov/[...]

3) Lonely Planet
www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2214191

What a mess. Thanks for the links AlexKMG. I'll update this thread once I've been let in or kicked out!

Lonely planet has info dated only two weeks old. Let's hope fellow travelers got it right. Also, why would Bangladesh turn down $51 USD!

Yes, LP seemed very up-to-date. And the official position "we like people to get the visa in advance" is probably not tha practical position "if someone turns up at the airport without a visa....". Fingers crossed!

It's a China Eastern flight so you better prepare for a round of delays.