Come Visit Bangladesh!

If I am not enough to bring you to Bangladesh in 2011, I have discovered two more unbiased reasons to visit. First, this country is filled with immense natural beauty and an amazing unique culture. If my pictures have not fully convinced you, check out this video:

Second, Bangladesh is one of the cheapest tourist destinations in the world! With 1 US$ (70 Taka to the dollar), you can buy 14 cups of tea, a CNG ride across town, 3 and a half coconuts or a set of bangles. In fact, earlier this year, a Lonely Planet Article named Bangladesh 2011's best value destination. The article reads:

“ This subcontinental treat might just be the cheapest place on earth to travel. Bangladesh offers marvellous meals for under $1, a mid-range hotel room for less than 10 times that. This means that anyone who isn’t a masochist goes up a price bracket or two. You’ll pay a little more to get around the Sunderbans National Park on a tiger-spotting tour – US$150 or thereabouts – but it’s still peanuts, even compared to what you pay next door in India.

Bangladesh is almost disgracefully under-visited. Here, paddleboat is one of the main forms of transport and you can trek, canoe and even surf to your heart’s content with some of the world’s friendliest people for company. The Rocket is Bangladesh’s most famous ferry, running daily between the capital of Dhaka and Khulna. First-class river cruising for 27 hours will cost US$15.”

So, come discover Bangladesh's beauty while I am here and before the country is fully discovered (or under water)!

International Mother Language Day

In 1999, UNESCO formally announced February 21st as International Mother Language Day. It is observed every year worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity. In Bangladesh, today celebrates Bangla language and culture, while at the same time mourns those who sacrificed their lives to keep Bangla the national language.

On the 21st of March, 1948 - when Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, known as East Pakistan - the Pakistani government declared that Urdu would be the official language for both West and East Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan, whose primary language is Bangla, were deeply upset by this ruling, and as a result, the Bangla language movement was born. On the 21st of February, 1952, students of Dhaka University and other activists protested the ruling. In response, the Pakistani police open fired, killing several protesters.

The language movement spread throughout East Pakistan and the entire province came to a standstill. Afterwards, the Pakistani government relented and allowed East Pakistan to keep Bangla as their national language.

You can steal flowers and books

The first Bangla proverb I learned is "You can steal flowers and books." It was explained that it's okay to steal flowers because they are natural and from the earth, and you can steal books because books give you wisdom.  I really like this proverb, and I think it has even more meaning because I am in a city where nature is hard to find and education is not available for all.

In the last week or so I have stolen both with my camera. The other day, my roommates and I woke up early and headed down to Shabagh flower market. Shabagh flower market is the largest bulk flower market in Bangladesh and from early in the morning until 11am you can find mountains of gada flowers (marigolds), bouquets of roses, baskets of petals, and strands of exotic flowers for hanging and decorating. The market materializes every morning under a footbridge right on the street and by seven it was a slurry of people and flowers. The sun was rising and the air had a wonderful (and unusual for Dhaka) sweet fragrance, and for just about an hour we talked, played and photographed the flowers, each other and the vendors, and almost forgot we were in Dhaka.

Mountains of gada flowers.