Beauty of Bangladesh captured by cyclists
IN one of his poems, Rabindranath Tagore wrote that to experience the beauty of nature, one may not need to travel long distances as beauty may exist very close to home.
Cox's Bazar, Sundarban, Rangamati and a few other natural and historical sites are considered as the main scenic places in Bangladesh. People in the capital city complain that the capital and its outskirts lack scenic places to visit. But is this true?
A cycling group has been successfully promoting cycling among people of all walks of life, and has been arranging weekly rides for the past three years in the capital, in its outskirts and also throughout the country.
Through these cycle rides cyclists have discovered that the beauty of Bangladesh is not hidden only in the above mentioned few places but exists in every corner of the country. Cyclists have been able to discover this beauty because walking and cycling help a person to see, feel and enjoy the beauty and attractiveness of a place more closely. In fact, walking and cycling help us visit places which are not reachable in motorised transport. This is why most of us who are habituated to traveling by motorised transport never come across these scenic places.
One will be amazed to know that some of the scenic places that cyclists discovered are very close to our homes, and we probably pass by them on daily in motorised transport but do not know that they exist because we pass by so quickly that we cannot appreciate the beauty of the place.
To showcase the beauty of nature that cyclists were able to capture in their rides, the group arranged a photo exhibition at the Drik Gallery. This is probably the first time that an exhibition on this topic has been held. The group believes that the exhibition will not only promote cycling but also the beauty of Bangladesh that exists in every corner of the country. Through the exhibition people will understand what Rabindranath Tagore meant in the poem.
The writer is a transportation engineer working in Thailand.
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