Facing the doom Uncontrolled urbanization of Dhaka, one of the fastest growing megacities in the world, is set to cause a devastating impact on the living conditions of millions of people. Dhaka is already listed as the world’s least livable city and experts fear, if unchecked, every citizen, rich or poor, young or old, shall […]
As the torrential monsoon rain nearly paralyzed life in the villages of Kawkhali, 225 km south of the capital, an extraordinary activity among the villagers could never be ignored. Almost every one of the 14,000 or so households, poor or rich, had a ritual to perform. It is to plant saplings of either timber […]
The much-awaited Kuakata master plan was gazetted in November 2014, but officials in Dhaka are still sitting on it, not taking any steps to notify authorities for its implementation. A futuristic 30-year Kuakata Master Plan should otherwise now be in force to prevent unplanned and haphazard growth of this highly potential tourist hub on the […]
At a village in Barisal, located in the south of Bangladesh, a 25-year old sturdy looking man, Bipul, and his best friend, Riad, had been regularly engaging in phone conversations with girls and trying to get lucky in lust calls. But charming Bipul always wanted to seek the thrill of love and ached to fill that […]
Gopalganj water crisis The scene is extremely unusual in rural Bangladesh. About four kilometers from Gopalganj town on the main road towards Bagherhat, dozens of women and children with pitchers in hand patiently waited by the road to fill their pitchers with potable water from the truck-mounted tanker provided by the Gopalganj Municipality. The women said […]
It is just like any Dhaka street; hardly 100 meters long and about four meters wide. It starts from Green Road in Farm Gate and winds its way to end on the Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, where rickshaws are strictly off-limits. The character of this street is so typical of Dhaka living that one can […]
She shook him vigorously. Yet there was no response. The young man, about the age of 25, lay on the floor of the Chittagong bound third class compartment. She now turned to half a dozen fellow passengers in the dirty compartment for help. None but a middle-aged man came forward. “What’s happened to him?” he […]
At the age of 62, Mannaf Bepari, a lanky hard working man from Shajatpur in Pabna, left his village along with ten others including his twelve-year old physically challenged son Shahin. Their destination was not Dhaka, the unwelcoming capital of the country preferred by thousands of migrants, but the shoals or chars of the river […]
In the beginning of the 19th century, riverine Bangladesh had over 200 different types of wooden boats plying the rivers and other water bodies. Millions across the country were directly or indirectly involved in the traditional sector. With this unique diversification in boat building the entire country represented a real-life maritime museum from day to […]
The illustrious sport of pigeon racing The Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has an unusual fancy. She is an avid pigeon lover and keeps her racing pigeons at the Royal Lofts at Sandringham, where she owns a palace. Many other great names come up with the hobby of pigeon racing. They include Elvis Presley, […]
