Dhaka: Traffic and Lifestyle

Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban, the National Parliament House. According to Wikipedia, it's one of the biggest legislative buildings in the world, and there's a very nice, but fenced and safely guarded park around it.
My Bangladeshi friends tell me the park used to be open for visitors, back in the days, before the political situation got so tense.
Since 2014, Awami League has passed some highly contentious decisions here, in absence of the boycotting opposition. It's both frightening and interesting to get to know more about the deadlocked political situation that led to bloody clashes in the beginning of 2015.

Motijheel at the city centre at a very quiet Saturday morning: Rickshaws, busses, cars and CNGs (the little green vehicles on the right side in the back) are actually able to move on the streets.

Going by rickshaw is slow, but can be quite fun. Mizan, Tasfi and I have to squeeze a bit here, but even four people are officially allowed on a rickshaw. And inofficially, everything is allowed in Dhaka traffic.

 One ride costs about 30 to 40 takka for locals, and usually not more than 70 for foreigners: less than 1 Euro! The Rickshaw pullers are considered the poorest of the working class. Most of them do not own their vehicle, but have to pay a rent for using it - which might take up most of their daily earnings. They also have restrictions about the area and distance they can take you.
Usually, you can also walk these distances, and might be faster. I attract a lot of disapproving looks for doing so, though: The two groups of people who are not expected to walk at all are women and foreigners.

CNGs are considered the most comfortable way of travelling further distances. They are small enough to squeeze in between cars and busses - and do so very hazardously; but that's the only way to make your way through the traffic. A ride costs about 250 to 300 takka, which is expensive for Bangladesh.
It's also smoggy and hot inside. And with the cross-barred windows (for my own protection, I was told), I always feel like a prisoner.

I was told to never ever go by local bus - which I disregarded, of cause. Talking about climate change all day, shouldn't you at least use public transportation?
I was accompanied by a (male) ICCCAD colleague, though. It's considered not really appropriate for women to go on their own. Besides the staring looks of local guys, the bus ride was not that bad. Just a bit shaky, as you can guess from the picture. 

Fresh Naan is prepared on the street. Bangladeshis like to deep-fry their pastries, and add a lot of sugar, but for the bread, you go with the basics: Naan is simply some pizza-style dough, baked in a stone oven - it's my favourite! For Roti, the bread is fried in a pan, and for Paratha, you add oil to that. Served with scrambled eggs, vegetables and/or lentils, this is a typical Bengali breakfast.

Bengali deserts, or: What you get when invited to visit one of Mizans friends and her family, and have asked them, please, not to prepare any dinner.
Mangos and lychees are in season now, and these delicious small bananas are sold everywhere and all the time here.
Traditional Bengali sweets mainly consist of fat milk and sugar, either turned into pastries, pudding (which tastes very light and fresh, for some reason), or pancakes (filled with a sweet cream). Those rund samosa-style delicacies in the middle are not sweet, but deep-fried.

Rose Garden, a former colonial building in the centre of Dhaka that was turned into a heritage site. Apparently, a lot of Bangladeshi films are shot here, and those who can affort it rent the place for weddings and partys.

Cursorily enough, no one bothered to renovate the back side of the house.
For pictures and films, superficial beauty suffices, I guess.

Learn and note: Bengali relates to the culture and laguage, including e.g. people living in Kolkata. Bangladeshi specifically refers to the nationality of Bangladesh.