Understanding Bangladesh

July 31: Raindrops keep falling on our heads

I am sure by now that everyone is aware of the rain and flooding going on in Bangladesh. News reports vary, but we have heard that up to 50% of the country is flooded and as many as 5 million people are displaced.

We have had some experience seeing this, especially in the northeast corner of Bangladesh, near Sylhet. On July 31, we made a trip to Jaflong and Tamabil, and in our first few minutes drove through flooded streets in Sylhet and experienced some urban flooding for ourselves.

The waters were deep enough that we observed men fishing on the sides of the city streets with hand-held nets – and they seemed to be successful. Once we left town, the roads are basically on the embankments built to control the flooding, at least to a certain extent, so we could see water on either side, all the way to the horizon. Water buffalo stood under roofs on elevated land.

Compared to the height of flooded telephone poles, we estimated the water to be 5 to 7 feet deep over the fields and among the houses. Fishing was being done everywhere, with the catch being plentiful but very small in size for each individual fish. They are sold at the local market or eaten at home by the fishermen’s families.

We drove into the hill country, a beautiful area of tea growing and “rock picking.” Most of the work in this country is done by hand labor, including gathering rocks for construction of roads and buildings. This has to be one of the hardest jobs (the other, in my mind, is breaking bricks with a hammer for road construction) and is done by women and children as well as men.

Off to the right, (and across the river we eventually reached), we could see the hills of India. Also along the road were huge piles of coal, which we were told were imported from India. Even the sheep were black from the coal dust.

On our way back out of the hill country, we stopped in a village to see the “King’s Palace” and a temple that honors Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction. Both were in poor shape, but the walls were interesting with all the carvings of animals and a dancing man. Many buildings were made of brick in the past and deteriorate quickly, probably due to the tropical climate and dense foliage that soon overruns the roofs and walls. The palace was destroyed in an earthquake in the late 1800s.

We also were able to meet the matriarch of a local indigenous tribe that practices a nature-loving religion called Tang. In this group, the men marry into the women’s family (just the opposite of most of Bangladesh) and inheritance is passed through the women. Protima Sumer is the elderly leader of the clan which at this time consists of only 33 families. They are beginning to marry into Hindu families since their own group is so small. She was gracious and welcoming as we came into her modern, comfortable home.

As is usual on this journey, we had an interesting day filled with adventure and learning.

-- Linda Litterer

July 29: Where's the wettest place on the planet?

During this longest travel day of our trip, we headed north from Chittagong toward our destination of Sylhet, driving along the hills which border India on Bangladesh’s eastern edge. In Fenni, we visited two schools of grade ten students. At a private (thus selective) girls’ school, we encouraged students to continue with education and to pursue careers. Many Bangladeshi females now become teachers, while some have told us they want to become doctors and lawyers - however, paying for education is difficult for most families. Teachers at private schools such as the one we visited often end up with less pay than public school teachers, since some parents can’t afford to pay the portion of salaries that they are expected to cover. Yet understandably, most parents want their children to attend the best of schools.

Next, we participated in a major event during our visit to a boys’ public school. The headmaster was retiring, so the faculty and students joined us in an enormous room decorated in honor of our visit. We were impressed with the environmental theme and work in the posters, and took many photos, which delighted the students and faculty. We were given the posters to use in geography workshops back in Iowa, then our driver skillfully managed to get us back on the road without injuring any of the boys who excitedly mobbed our mini-bus.

Traveling north, we pursued various productive and/or amusing ways to pass the time, including boisterous comments comparing favorite billboard personalities, such as the Pran Oil girl, the Lux girl, and the Banglalink boy.

Next, Dr. Bimal Paul presented information from his research on infant mortality, which is declining notably in Bangladesh. Then we learned from Bimal’s research regarding disaster-related health issues. I was interested to hear that after cyclones, the assistance of psychologists is often needed more than the help of medical doctors – and that along with drowning, snakebite is a leading cause of flood-related deaths in Bangladesh.

Then a vigorous discussion developed concerning corruption, and the work of various government organizations and non-government organizations (GOs and NGOs). This information will help me to set up a micro-credit loan to a Bangladeshi woman – which I plan to then follow with my students concerning the impact of the loan on the related family.

As we entered northeastern Bangladesh, we saw landscape giving way to a waterscape of wetlands known as haors. Many chickens, cows, goats, and pedestrians gathered along the tree-lined roadway embankments, taking refuge above the shimmering, silvery expanses of water. This was another chance to observe how even in “normal” years, 30% of Bangladesh may be covered with flood waters. Going further north, I recalled Alexander Frater’s adventures (described entertainingly in his book “Chasing the Monsoon”) as he headed north toward Cherrapunji, which is aptly titled the “wettest place on Earth” due to annual local rainfall accumulations of 500 inches. By comparison, Sylhet received a maximum of 200 inches per year – and Iowa receives a maximum of 35 inches!

Near Sylhet, we were joined by a police escort, who accompanied us with sirens and flashing lights to our hotel. I cringed a bit as our group became even more noticeable as oddities, yet it was nice to have our safety supported in many ways while we traveled.

I looked forward to enjoying the “liberal” city of Sylhet, (population 250,000) which has been impacted by the influence of many Bangladeshi natives traveling back and forth from London since leaving in 1880 to pursue jobs related to ship-building industries. There are estimates that 500,000 Bangladeshi people now live in London.

Footnote: While in Sylhet, a few of us managed to visit the Shrine of Shahazalal, a famous Muslim mosque which is also a major pilgrimage destination. We were able to lean over the wall bordering the nearby pond to gaze at the “sacred catfish” - who are said to have miraculously appeared, possibly after being transformed from black magicians, although we’ve heard various versions of these fishes’ story. In any case, however the fish came to be there, their pond near the mosque (with accompanying throngs of people) was a very unique place to visit - and I appreciate the support of our guide Moshiur as well as the support of the police escorts who accompanied us to this and many other sites.

-- Jill Watrous

CNG: Clean, green fuel alternative

A CNG-powered autorickshaw. (Photo by Dan Walsh)

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a “greener” fuel alternative that is sweeping South Asia. CNG vehicles produce a cleaner exhaust and pollute the air much less than diesel and petroleum powered automobiles.

Cities that have introduced CNG have experienced tremendous improvements in air quality. Bangladesh introduced CNG in 1999 and currently attains 10% of the CNG from their own natural gas reserves.

CNG has been introduced in the cities of Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Comilla, Cox’s Bazaar, and Bogra. Furthermore, many buses are CNG powered, government vehicles are gradually being converted to CNG, and autorickshaws in Dhaka are compulsorily powered by CNG.

CNG is an accommodating fuel alternative. All vehicles -- petrol or diesel -- can be converted to CNG power at one of the many “CNG Conversion Centres.”

CNG is priced much lower than conventional fuels, with the price of petrol equaling 68 taka per liter ($3.73 per gallon), diesel at 40 taka per liter ($2.19 per gallon), and CNG coming in comparably lower at 30 taka per liter ($1.65 per gallon). Therefore, even if drivers are not concerned about the environment, the effects on their pocketbook should motivate them to make the switch to CNG.

CNG vehicles also come with a reserve tank of petrol or diesel, thus, if you run out of CNG your vehicle can make it to the next filling station.

-- Luke Juran is from Dyersville, Iowa and an M.A. and Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa.

A CNG filling station. The gas station attendant hooks up a CNG air hose and pumps the tank full with more CNG -- just like our propane grills. (Photo by Luke Juran

July 27: Back from the beach

It was hard to leave the beach life at Cox’s Bazar: the salt air, casual atmosphere and sound of crashing waves made our stay a respite for our group, now approaching our third week in country.

After supper last night, a few of us ventured to the beach and found it safe and tranquil. While we scuttled crabs with our flashlights, we saw families strolling and heard groups of young men singing. There was just enough moonlight for the lovers.

We stopped at Dalahazara Safari Park, a 3,000 acre park established in 1999. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a nature lover, recognized the need for a place that would provide education and employment and also a breeding program for endangered and threatened species.

Until the 1960’s, the Bengal tiger lived in evergreen forests which once covered the area. Human land use and poaching took their toll here, just like clearing prairie for agriculture threatened the American bison.

A few animals at the park are from Africa, and there’s even a North American turkey. Most of the species of birds, deer, bear, elephants, monkeys and reptiles are native. Like the Safari Parks near Omaha and San Diego, one travels in a vehicle, but may get out at assigned viewing areas.

The two Bengal tigers were beautiful, and the turtle with flippers caught my attention. There was a viewing bridge for the 54 crocodiles, and a few of our group took the opportunity to ride an elephant.

Several monkeys had free range, and looked for handouts from the keeper who accompanied us. A snack bar at the end featured a man with a machete who expertly whacked open fresh coconuts and inserted drinking straws.

The preservation efforts and breeding program are examples of the sophistication we find in Bangladesh. This insight may be missing from your concept of a developing country.

Rural Bangladeshis protect themselves from monsoon rains with a woven raincoat called a mathal.

Rain caught us a few times during the day, for brief intervals.

Like an Iowa thunderstorm, there is a palpable heat buildup. Thunderheads tower; the rain a welcome release. Skies don’t clear, and the heat builds anew.

We returned to Chittagong, a grimy working city where it is all about ships coming in and out. There seems to be less public art inside the tangles of roundabouts here than in Dhaka or Rajshahi.

Others have scoffed at my interest in public art (which runs the gamut from metal abstractions to giant mangoes and herons and includes mosaics of the Language Martyrs). I have come to believe that art, literature, and history are part of the glue that holds a country together. Students here memorize and can recite Tagore’s poetry. When people come to your town, what art do they see? What poetry and songs hold us together?

Right now I hear the evening call to prayer -- part of the glue that holds Bangladesh together. Like our church bells, the sound is expected, understood, and comfortable.

-- Kathy Sundtedt