BANGLADESH – COLOURFUL CHAOS
To be honest with you my trip to Bangladesh was a long time ago, but I was so amazed by this country that I really want to share with you what I found and learn there. Heading off the beaten track and into a country that doesn’t have an established tourism infrastructure, especially not for foreign tourists. Bangladesh travel is still, in many ways, a journey into the unknown.
I spend a couple of days there and I can tell you it was a really crazy experience. Because of the lack of information about travelling there, back then, I really didn’t know what to expect. In my mind, Bangladesh was something like India, but when I arrive in Dhaka, the country capital city, I discovered that it wasn’t like that at all…
Dhaka, the most crowded city in the world
Dhaka is not a quiet and organised, bursting with people, is a bubbling noisy and chaotic place. Delhi and Mumbai are peace of heaven compared to this city. More than 19.5 million people live there. It is the most densely populated spanning 300 kilometres, that’s more than 23 thousand people per square kilometre. Daily life revolves around the local markets and flows from the boats on Buriganga River, which is heavily polluted with human and factory waste. This picture is not very touristy appealing, but for me was really something that I wanted to see. It’s an overwhelming experience to be in the most crowded city in the world. I learned that every day near 2000 people from all over Bangladesh come to live here. Transportation is a real hell, the cheapest and in a way, the fastest way for transportation is the tricycle rickshaws, which are everywhere. After my first day, Dhaka’s charm starts to slowly reveal itself.
The most interesting and colourful place to visit there was the Old city. The neighbourhood almost has no infrastructure. To be honest, this place is the face of poverty and misery. Some of the locals never been there from ages, only crazy and poor people would consider going there, they say. Knowing me, this was the first place to see.
Many of the British and Mughal era buildings are there, but some of them are facing the risk of being knocked down to be replaced with modern apartment buildings. Old Dhaka is famous for its variety of foods and amicable living of people of all religion in harmony. From my tour there I really learned a lot about the country culture and history. At first, all that you can see there may scare you but actually is curios to sink into this chaotic place.
The green city of Bangladesh – Chittagong
Bangladesh has another face that is more welcoming for the eyes. Chittagong, known as Chattogram in Bengali is the hub of commercial trading and financial centre of the country. This is one of the few cities that lets you eerily enjoy the essence of the scenery from both the plains and also from the awe-inducing mountain tops that stare down at the seas. The city houses a lot of beaches and natural sceneries like Patenga, Inani Beach in Cox’s Bazaar are some of the most popular destinations there.
After the polluted Dhaka, it was really nice to see some beautiful nature and fresh air. Dulhazra Safari Park and Himchori Waterfalls are some of the best eco-tourism places to be there. Near to Chittagong is this amazing fishing port, tourism centre and district headquarters in southeastern Bangladesh – Cox’s Bazaar. Miles of golden sand, towering cliffs, surfing waves, colourful pagodas, Buddhist temples and tribes, delightful seafood — this is Cox’s Bazar, the tourist capital of Bangladesh.
