Understanding Bangladesh

Banskhali or Bust- 07/23/07

Today we woke up in Chittagong, the business capital and port city of Bangladesh, located on the southeast coast of Bangladesh.

Chittagong’s population is 3 million - the entire state of Iowa’s population in one city! Chittagong is well known these days as it is the home of Muhammad Yunus, recent Nobel Laureate and creator of the micro-credit concept and Grameen Bank.

From Chittagong we drove to Banskhali, which literally means “bamboo place.” Banskhali was one of the worst affected cities hit by the 1991 cyclone, which claimed 131,000 lives.

After two and a half hours of traveling via winding, one lane, flood ravaged roads we reached a cyclone shelter and school in the Banskhali village of Bariakhandi.

Cyclone shelters have been constructed along the coast to provide a safe place for citizens to seek refuge. Shelters have been put up by the government, NGOs and relief organizations, and through grants. Furthermore, schools and mosques also serve as cyclone and flood shelters as they possess room for large crowds.

  |    Login or Join to Post Comments