We arrived in Dhaka in the middle of the night last night after an unexpectedly luxurious flight (got bumped up to business class!). It was dark, so we couldn’t see much, but we could tell the traffic and driving were pretty similar to Egypt – no lanes, no passing rules, and lots of honking! Our walk around during daylight today confirmed that Dhaka is surprisingly similar to Cairo, but with tuk-tuks and rickshaws in place of taxis. We are in a Maadi-like suburb rather than downtown, which means we can move around here freely in spite of the hartals (strikes) that have been taking place on and off for the last three months.
The reason there have been so many strikes is that, constitutionally, the ruling government should have stepped down in October in preparation for the elections to be held in early January. They didn’t step down, which theoretically allows them to influence the upcoming elections more than they should. So for the last three months the opposition party has periodically called for “hartals” or strikes where no one is allowed to travel. Anyone who does drive into the city risks getting hit by a Molotov cocktail. These strikes have made it difficult for Dan to work, and the current one will prevent Dylan and I from going into downtown Dhaka at all.
The reason there have been so many strikes is that, constitutionally, the ruling government should have stepped down in October in preparation for the elections to be held in early January. They didn’t step down, which theoretically allows them to influence the upcoming elections more than they should. So for the last three months the opposition party has periodically called for “hartals” or strikes where no one is allowed to travel. Anyone who does drive into the city risks getting hit by a Molotov cocktail. These strikes have made it difficult for Dan to work, and the current one will prevent Dylan and I from going into downtown Dhaka at all.
However, there’s plenty to explore in Gulshan, where we’re staying. Today we went to a Fair Trade arts and crafts shop that sells beautiful fabrics and decorations, walked around Banani Lake, visited the American Club and braved a very crowded grocery store. They have so many fruits here that I’ve never seen before! No white onions, which I thought was odd, but a huge curry section! The meat section included a mutton head.
This evening we went to a Christmas Concert at AISD – American International School Dhaka. The school itself seems pretty nice. For Dylan and I, who grew up in international schools, it’s interesting to compare the ones in different countries. On our way back to the apartment we accidentally took a motorized rickshaw – a bicycle that has been hooked up to an electric motor so it can zip through traffic, trailing a narrow seat for passengers. Fortunately we made it back in one piece!
Currently we are besieged by mosquitoes and probably going to bed soon. I’m glad we were able to stay awake all day in spite of struggling with jet lag! More adventures to follow in the coming weeks. =)
This evening we went to a Christmas Concert at AISD – American International School Dhaka. The school itself seems pretty nice. For Dylan and I, who grew up in international schools, it’s interesting to compare the ones in different countries. On our way back to the apartment we accidentally took a motorized rickshaw – a bicycle that has been hooked up to an electric motor so it can zip through traffic, trailing a narrow seat for passengers. Fortunately we made it back in one piece!
Currently we are besieged by mosquitoes and probably going to bed soon. I’m glad we were able to stay awake all day in spite of struggling with jet lag! More adventures to follow in the coming weeks. =)
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