Understanding Bangladesh

July 19 – Thursday: The Day of the Armed Guards

We started the day being regarded by guards in green with rifles in hand at the bank across the street from the hotel. Perhaps they were concerned that we would try to cash travelers’ checks at the bank?

There followed a trip to Jahangirnagar University, home school of our guide, Moshuir. It turned out to be a beautiful facility and the presentations lived up to the promises of the well-kept Department of Geography and Environment.

Power outages aside, we heard four excellent presentations and had an opportunity to visit with the students, which is always a treat. My personal favorite was the presentation on “Hazards and Disasters in Bangladesh,” complete with charts and photographs that were very helpful in understanding the magnitude of the problems faced by the country.

The students we interviewed got into a heated argument when the lone young man in the group argued that global warming was not a problem. I thought the girls were going to come over the table after him! The time with the students was followed by the usual “tea and biscuits.”

After a short drive to an excellent restaurant, past the first golf course I have seen in Dhaka, although I hear there is at least one more. The restaurant is the site of a poster created by the Tourism Bureau that says, “See Bangladesh Before the Tourists Come."

We then went to the National Martyrs’ Memorial, one of the most beautiful and moving places we have been since coming to Bangladesh.

Again we were shadowed by armed guards (this time in blue), but this time they apparently were sent for our protection. It was somewhat disconcerting to be closely followed by men with guns, but once we found their purpose it was not so threatening.   |    Login or Join to Post Comments