Team Bangladesh

Lucky me, my friend Ashique arranged for his family to take me into their lives and care for me and show me their wonderful country. I stayed in the family home where his mother, father and two brothers; Anique and Avik, made me feel so totally  welcome.  Aunts, uncles and cousins were also as lovely and hospitable and everyone we met was great company. Everyday we had large and varied meals and were shown all the cities hidden secrets. I was treated like a princess!  

Bangladesh does not get many foreign visitors and there seemed little indication of Western influence, a refreshing change from India. Bangladesh is right to be fiercely proud of retaining its individuality and most people wear the traditional dress, the skirts that men wear are called lungies and are supposed to be very comfortable. 

Bangladesh is alot greener than India and our first bus journey through the countryside was spent staring at the beauty. Dhaka city has its own special charm,  although hectic and  chaotic,  people work hard amidst the relentless traffic and life is full. Maybe it is the never ending traffic jams that make the Bangla people so laid back, they have such warm genuine smiles and attitudes to life. It is worth noting that despite the busy roads, drivers are of a high standard and their licenses accepted as an international standard in Britain.

I feel just so lucky to be exposed to this culture, it is so warm, welcoming, accommodating and fascinating.  Priorities are family, friends, good food, cricket and religion. The food .... wow its just exceptional and every mealtime the table was loaded with amazing dishes. Bangladeshi food has its own distinct flavours, is so filling and nutritious and you can never stop at just one plate. The colourful vegetables are like nothing I have ever seen before, as delicious as the fluffy breads, fragrant rice, exotic fruits and delicate sweets. Each item is so satisfying alone, yet the flavours compliment one another perfectly. As a vegetarian I always felt especially catered for (they are so sweet, they even ate vegetarian at restaurants so I could share everything!). Although the huge array of seasonal vegetables are standard with every meal, usually meat is the most important part - beef, mutton, chicken and fish are integral  to the traditional diet. The local way of eating is to use your right hand instead of cutlery to scoop food into your mouth. After eating, you are provided a bowl of steaming water and a slice of lemon to rinse your hands. This is anti bacterial and smells good. After one week, I was still very much a novice, but really enjoyed this style of eating.

There are so many excellent sites of interest and museums with the information translated into English. The country's history is fascinating and we learned about the speech movement of 1952, when Urdu threatened to replace the national language and the freedom fighters' 1971 victory, when Bangladesh finally gained independence from Pakistan. Our hosts are exceptionally knowledgeable about their country's history and take a real ownership of their heritage, many thanks Romu and Anique for educating and enthusing us about the culture.

Bangladeshi have an admirable code of respect for each other, and are especially considerate to their elders. This respect is displayed throughout the language and gestures used (similar in many ways to the South Korean, they even pass money with both hands). It was a once in a lifetime chance to absorb a rich culture, un spoilt by masses of tourists. I totally fell in love with life in Bangladesh . Everyday was action packed and memorable; from the amazing architecture of temples, mosques and state buildings; to the modern shopping plazas, theme parks and contemporary theatre productions. A friend even performed live folk music, a unique rural art form that, in my opinion, needs to be kept alive (go Dilu!). The music, art and handmade craft items from the villages make lovely souvenirs by which to remember the trip, totally different to anything available in India. In addition, exposure to the growing film industry 'Dollywood' is another window into the rich culture. We even learnt the chorus to a bangla song. If you ever want a performance just ask ..."cholo na ghuri ashi ooh jana tae ... jay kana nodi shae thema gache".

There is a strong proud Muslim culture present in Bangladesh and Dhaka is affectionately known as the mosque city. Everyone is peaceful and civilised and we felt very comfortable and at ease at all times. Western dress is permitted and as the only foreigners, we attracted curious glances, but no one ever attempted to invade our personal space. It made such a positive impression on me that I want to share my experience and have even written an article for the British Newspaper 'The Muslim Weekly'. Check it out it should be published mid May.

I feel very privileged to have visited Bangladesh and I will remember this experience forever. Thank you Ash and family, you made our trip!