My Dhaka
My Dhaka / Behind the scenes: Story of Dhaka’s fish trade
Bachchu Miah and I have had a thriving business relationship for the last 27 years. I met this young vendor while I was living in Kalabagan and now after 19 years of being in Uttara, the not-so-young-Bachchu still delivers his fresh catch to me.
Ahsan Manzil without the dome?
To paint a picture of what this majestic building looked like just after the catastrophe, a line from an eyewitness account may be apt here.
My Dhaka / Exploring river heritage of Dhaka
We, as residents of this bustling metropolis, have never given much thought to what and who defines the city’s economy and culture.
My Dhaka / Revival of sculpture as an art form
Art galleries in Dhaka hardly hold any exclusive exhibition for sculptures and even if they do, it is mostly as part of mixed media shows.
My Dhaka / Exploring the street breakfast culture
Breakfast on the go has a different meaning for the toiling masses of Dhaka. Rickshaw pullers doing early shifts to cash in on school rides, night guards before hitting the beds, street sweepers -- all opt for a quick street breakfast, which is spread out by 6:00am for business.
Dhaka's lost bridges
To illustrate, the visual featured here -- taken from the book Glimpses of Old Dhaka by Syed Muhammed Taifoor (Second edition, 1956) -- has the caption, "Ruined bridge at Tantibazar-Nowabpur Road".
My Dhaka / Bangabazar: Rising from the ashes
At 2,551 metres above sea level on Chandragiri Hills in Nepal, all I could thank for was Dhaka’s Bangabazar.
The Wonder of Saat Gombuj Masjid
If you went to the Mohammadpur area, you would come across a splendid Mughal-era mosque: Saat Gombuj Masjid, or Seven-domed Mosque.
The Pogose legacy: An Armenian heritage in Dhaka
Now known as Pogose Laboratory School and College, operating under Jagannath University, it was founded as far back as 1848, by Joakim Gregory Nicholas Pogose, a rich Armenian businessman.
What’s still missing from Dhaka’s food scene?
The restaurant industry of Dhaka can safely be regarded as the most widespread entertainment option in town. Over the past few years, various types of restaurants have mushroomed in every corner and alley of the city, from busy dim sum houses to quiet cafes.
Football Fandom: Club-based groups and their craze for the sport
Once upon a time, Dhaka used to put on a celebratory face every time Abahani played a game of football against Mohammedan. Those days are long gone but our love for the game remains.
Advocating for children with Down syndrome
Rafan Razzak was born with Down syndrome. Soon after his birth, little Rafan suffered from breathing difficulties, and later, through the karyotyping test, he was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
The company that made horse carriages popular in Dhaka
When you see a carriage today in the capital, you probably think of it as a recreational ride or a vehicle by which bridegrooms arrive at weddings.
A Sri Lankan’s memory of Dhaka
Over the course of my career, I have spent a significant amount of time in Dhaka, Bangladesh and various other locations in the country.
Ikebana Experience Center: Bringing respite to Dhaka’s busy life
Ikebana started its journey in 1992 and the boutique has evolved through the years -- from a small shop in Dhanmondi to doing prestigious government events, award-winning landscaping projects, and the recently opened plant sales centre, where taking in the green experience is of paramount interest rather than purchases.
The bakharkhani types!
Bakharkhani in Dhaka mainly comes in three flavours. Perhaps, the most popular is the classic one. There is also a sweet twist to the classic bakharkhani, which is sometimes slightly harder in texture.
Nizamuddin’s journey with ‘feska pakhi’
Nizamuddin, the old man, is 81 years old. He calls the toy “feska pakhi” in his colloquial tongue.
The bustling spice market of ChawkBazar
The wholesale spice market of Chawkbazar is not a fancy, spice souk you see in the Middle East; it is a messy place, with extremely narrow, mucky lanes snaking through filth. Even manoeuvring a rickshaw is a challenge on these roads which are further piled up with sacks of assorted spices, herbs used in Ayurveda and Unani, and of course dry fruits from all over the world.
