Understanding Bangladesh

18 July 2007 - On the Road Again, and Again, and Again

We left Rajshahi at 8 a.m. this morning for Dhaka via Kazipur, where a village had been displaced and rebuilt three kilometers from its original site because of flood waters. The first-hand look at the site was beneficial; at least six-miles of one-lane dirt road along a leg of that journey were unbelievably eroded.

We are having some fun together as a group, and today’s long 11-hour, 140-mile trip provided opportunity for continued window-gawking, small conversations between bus seatmates, and some uncontrollable laughter, too.

Sights along the roadside today kept us entertained — I especially enjoyed the new sight of water buffalo being led down the roadside.

Luke is enjoying riding in the front seat of our tour bus; he said he likes the large window and view of traffic, exclaiming it’s “like an Imax theater!”

We cheered this morning at Kay’s surprise distribution of small bags of chocolate M&Ms®, which we carefully shared; we developed a five-star rating system for pit stop facilities; and under the guidance of Kathy and Jill, we wrote our first stanzas to “My Bangladesh Things,” with thanks to Rogers & Hammerstein for the tune.

Kay took advantage of the time on our hands, too, and gave us an assignment, to which we quickly responded. For Kay, we generated a list of pre-test questions for our Bangladesh unit.

One of our leg-stretching stops today was at a hospital where an elderly woman inside a waiting room excitedly introduced herself to us and shared proudly that Americans had paid for her glasses. She was very pleased to meet us; that’s a meeting I won’t easily forget.

A second memorable stop was at a hand loom facility, where men and even young boys were making beautiful cloth with foot-powered clicking and clacking looms.



We haven’t tired of taking photos. Between us, I’m predicting we’ll end up having the largest single collection of Bangladesh photos currently available and eventually posted on the Internet.

As we turned the corner in Dhaka and saw the Best Western tonight, I felt like we had come home. At check-in, most of us were given the same rooms where we were comfortable last week. The service and attention we get from employees here is welcoming and over-the-top hospitable.

All travelers are still healthy. All are safe. More good things are to come.

-- Dawn

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.

Interviews begin

Interviews at Rajshahi University:

The day began with a visit to Rajshahi University to interview students about daily life in Bangladesh and their experiences with natural disasters.
We first met with the grades 9 and 10 students from Rajshahi University Lab School and then the university students (ages 17 to 22).

The students expressed concerns over flooding and drought and told accounts of being trapped on roofs, water shortages, fleeing to shelters, disease, and economic ruin.

In addition, we learned about relief measures the communities, national government, and NGOs had taken.

The students were also eager to describe their daily activities, hobbies, and career goals and were inquisitive about life in the United States as well.

Questions were asked regarding flooding in the United States, Katrina relief efforts, and global warming. The morning ended with smiles, hugs, and plenty of “snaps”.

Varendra Research Society:

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant (with a Greco-Roman interior motif) we made a short stop at a local museum that housed various Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim artifacts dating back to the 1st century B.C.E.

Sopura Silk Mills: We then arrived at one of Rajshahi’s silk mills for a tour. We were able to see the step by step process of how the silk thread was magnificently turned into a beautiful sari, complete with embroidery and sequins.

I immediately identified the large machines with the textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts and Manchester, England. It was a trip back in time. I was amazed to see each step done by hand in what many would describe as deplorable conditions- OSHA’s worst nightmare indeed.

After interviewing some of the workers, we found the wages there averaged about ten to fifteen dollars a month, including overtime (however, one must remember that fifteen dollars go further in Bangladesh than the states).

Rajshahi Orphanage:

The afternoon’s final activity was a bittersweet visit to the local orphanage. We toured both the boys’ and girls’ dormitories and visited with the manager, who described how these children ended up at these facilities.

Most of the children arrived because they had lost both parents and did not have family to care for them. We were happy to hear that the children did receive an education and some job training, and we concluded our visit with a donation of supplies and some financial assistance.

-- Sarah