CIDA on its website states “Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries. With more than 164 million individuals (2010) in a country about twice the size of New Brunswick, the resulting population pressures are huge.” In another comparison, although Bangladesh’s total area is one seventh of the province of Ontario, its population is 12 times the population of Ontario. So, you can imagine the situation. Hard to be not confused. The huge number of people flowing on the streets is the first thing you see when you arrive Zia International Airport in Dhaka city. In the city, no matter where you are and no matter what time your watch is kicking, you are never, ever alone. You always see people rushing somewhere on the streets. This is such a city where life never stops. On my way to hotel, where I stayed throughout my internship at Grameen Bank, the other thing that I noticed was the level of poverty . I saw a lot of people, most of them are children sleeping on the sidewalks.
Can't forget the traffic. One really has to have some athletic skills to survive as a commuter. The noise, pollution and lack of traffic signs and drivers’ attitudes at wheel were the first signs of the lack of infrastructure in just 30 min drive from airport to hotel. No infrastructure, no, nothing! Later, I was so glad that it was not just me who complained about the traffic, almost all the people I met often complained about the traffic, even some of my hard-die driver friends!
Can't forget the traffic. One really has to have some athletic skills to survive as a commuter. The noise, pollution and lack of traffic signs and drivers’ attitudes at wheel were the first signs of the lack of infrastructure in just 30 min drive from airport to hotel. No infrastructure, no, nothing! Later, I was so glad that it was not just me who complained about the traffic, almost all the people I met often complained about the traffic, even some of my hard-die driver friends!
The weather after October until the end of January is fairly good in Dhaka. I was lucky. My initial plan was to go to Dhaka earlier. But, thanks to health reasons, I had to postpone my trip. I am glad that I did. It is not that I got issues with the rain or anything It is the lack of infrastructure that gives everyone a trouble; infrastructure that the Bangladeshi government has to invest more and more on. Mid October, when I got there, was still hot enough for the whole city to smell with all the garbage and dirt scattered all over the city. Can’t imagine the real summer time a couple of months before. But, I heard it was quite something. Speaking of infrastructure, the country is also having problems producing enough and steady electricity for everyone especially people living in rural areas. In many rural areas, there is literally no electricity, where there is available, it is actually available mostly in the evenings just for 4-5 hours, maybe a little bit more. Candles and lanterns are the basic survival kit if villagers can afford it. The urban areas in Dhaka city also suffer from power outages, which severely affects the production cycle. All these problems with infrastructure are the main pushing factors for foreign investors to come to this country. The investors need not only reliable energy but also reliable transportation. In Bangladesh, the main port is Chittagong. Most of the shipping, importing and exporting are done through this port. However, there are only two lanes that connect the port with Dhaka city. On top of everything about the traffic, with only two lanes, let alone shipping, traveling on a bus is a huge inconvenience. When I say inconvenience I really mean it. Despite all these, I was ready for the job, ready to discover the mystique behind Bangla(desh), country of language of the world.
