My Dhaka
Getting to know the city all over again
It is said that to know a city well you must walk the lanes and by lanes; only then do you notice the landmarks, take in the sights and sounds of the city, and take pleasure in observing the signature colours of the cityscape.
A city in fiction
The capital of Bangladesh has been given many names. Writers, poets, artists, and musicians all have had their go at Dhaka and each painted a picture of the city in light of how they perceived it.
Dhaka’s bustling farmer’s market
Urban villages around Dhaka are pockets of areas that have gotten cramped amidst the rapidly rising city. One finds them in Uttara Residential Area (3rd Phase) -- an extension to the Uttara Model Town,
Comrade, give me a cup!
Yet, the tiny, yellow-walled tea stall attracts customers like bees to flowers. “Comrade, give me a cup,” is how they ask for tea.
Back to the theatre!
With super hits like Poran, Hawa and Damal, we are eagerly looking forward to good entertaining films so that the pull towards watching a film in the theatres remains a temptation. Poran and Hawa managed to pull crowds who did not set foot in cinema halls in last 30 to 40 years!
My Dhaka: Dhaka’s mothers
We are anything but contented. We strongly believe that since we have borne the child for nine months, they are now our prisoners of conscience with zero freedom.
Offerings of the city’s countless nurseries
Foliage plants that are grown for the leaves only and not flowers, are easy to maintain -- a little sunlight, a little filtered shade, and they stand tall.
This city holds my heart
Urban life with its whirlwind of chaos and cacophony has an allure that captivates me.
Shojon offering affordable psychological counselling
In this city of ours, mental illness is on the rise. Due to social taboos and a lack of knowledge regarding proper medical care facilities, most sufferers do not avail treatment.
An alluring case of Dhaka’s coffee culture
During my university days, I started visiting a coffee shop between classes because I did not exactly have any friends. Let’s call this coffee shop “South Start”.
Practising art in the city
The best place to paint a gorgeous, amber sunrise in Dhaka is definitely our Ramna Park and on most Saturdays, you will see students of Dhaka Water Colour Academy, a group for budding artists, young and old, trying to capture that exact moment in time through their work.
The city’s Krishnachura blooms
Naysayers will disagree, though. I shall too, let my scepticism rest for some parts of Dhaka, especially at this time of year, pointing out to the exorbitant Krishnachura blooms that have adorned our city.
Hot patties!
Crispy puff pastry triangles, stuffed with beef mince and sautéed with onions, were kept warm in a tin box with the aid of the light. The box was tied around the man’s neck with a gamcha.
Audiophile Friends: Taking the love for music to next level
Music is an art, some of us take it to an idolatry rank, with no compromise on sound quality.
Mirpur Road’s bustling shopping scene
As your car inches towards Dhaka College on Mirpur Road, you start to peek here and there assessing the shopping deals. The place is teeming with thousands of early Eid shoppers or random bargain hunters, all looking for the best offers before the festival.
A treat for art aficionados
The historical background of “Bloody 21st” is passionate and nationalistic. Baseer was one of the protestors of February 21, 1952.
Bhalo Kajer Hotel: Where you get free meal for a good deed
Exactly between 1:30pm and 2:00pm, you will see a blue truck loaded with big pots of food, melamine plates, and water cans stop near a queue of homeless people standing by the footpaths of Karwan Bazar. The footpath for that lunchtime becomes the poor people’s “Bhalo Kajer Hotel”, an eatery that is running with the dictum that the poor and homeless would get a free meal in exchange for performing a good deed a day.
The pleasure of knowing your neighbourhood
Safe, vibrant public spaces are so rare in Dhaka that the months from January to early March feel like a gift from the universe when the Bangla Academy comes alive with the Dhaka Lit Fest, followed by the Dhaka Art Summit and the February extravaganza of the Ekushey Boi Mela. Since 2020, the Gulshan Book Fair has added to the series of treats for those of us who crave creative festivals in this city.
