Riders on the storm!
The process consists of a silo- or barrel-shaped wooden cylinder, typically ranging from 20 to 30 feet in diameter and made of planks, inside which motorcyclists, drive along the vertical wall for the stunts.
A well-like structure, inside which a rider braces himself for what's about to come. He starts his bike and goes around circling the well. Suddenly, he gains speed and goes higher up the structure. However, the show doesn't end here.
Often times, he's seen with his hands off the vehicle, sometimes even standing on it, leaving the spectators breathless and in awe.
In Bangladesh, this is a common show that is presented on regional fairs organised on different occasions. This popular show has gathered many names over the years -- metrodome, velodrome, bike stunts, etc. But the most popular and perhaps most dramatic one would be "Mrittu Koop", which translates to the well of death.
The process consists of a silo- or barrel-shaped wooden cylinder, typically ranging from 20 to 30 feet in diameter and made of planks, inside which motorcyclists, drive along the vertical wall for the stunts.
Among the very few groups in the country which can perform the manoeuvrers, "Ma-Babar Doa" is one such group, hailing from Bogura. This correspondent came across their performance during a recent visit to "Bogura Taat Bostro o Kutir Shilpa Ponno Mela", arranged by different organisations, including the district administration.
Md Sirajul Islam Panna (48) from Bogura's Shibganj upazila is the group's leader. He has been performing for 22 years.
According to Siraj, at one point, there were around 15-20 groups in the country which performed such feats. However, many wrapped up their activities during the pandemic, as no fairs were being arranged to contain the spread of coronavirus.
"I fell in love with this activity some 25 years ago, when I first saw it in Rajshahi. I know it was risky, but the adventure attracted me. I started learning the stunts and later formed a group to perform," Siraj said.
"Initially we used to perform motorcycle stunts only. We added small cars to the routine some 10 years ago. Now, I have 12-15 people in my team, including two motorcyclists," he added.
Abu Bokkor Siddik (27), Siraj's nephew, said, "My parents passed away when I was very young. I had nowhere else to go, so uncle Siraj took me in. He trained me, and now I'm part of the team."
When asked about the risks, he said, "In my 15-year career as a stuntman, I've never faced a serious accident. I fell twice or thrice from the track but didn't get any serious injuries."
Siraj now has other disciples too. One of them is 20-year-old Md Sohanur Rahman.
"I'm staying with Siraj bhai to learn the stunts. I get a little remuneration, but the thrill is what keeps me going," said Sohan.
"We've performed in almost all the districts. But the charm has been lost," said Siraj.
"During the pandemic, I incurred a loss of Tk 8-10 lakh. I pay Tk 80,000 to 1 lakh in total to all the staffers per month," he added.
The group also faces extortion, bringing a drastic decrease to their income per show.
"When we travel to rural areas, local goons ask for a toll of Tk 500-1,000 each day. We have to pay the organisers 25 percent of the total earnings as well," explained Siraj.
"But everything feels worth the trouble when people applaud and bless us after the show," said Siraj, also a father of a 19-month-old baby boy, hoping that his son will follow in his footsteps.
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