Wednesday, June 4 2008
Guided by a Bengali Poet
When people ask what my Bangladesh life was like, I will say that at its best, it followed the path of the poet Jibanananda Das.
Friday, February 29 2008
The Rickshaw as an Endangered Species
Bangladesh's endangered rickshaws and wallahs serve as brightly coloured, moving works of art, and as constant, mobile displays of human nature – often at its best.
Wednesday, January 2 2008
In Conversation with Bangladeshi Poet, Kaiser Haq
There are more than a dozen languages spoken in Bangladesh. English is a presence, a second language, in which poets such as Haq can be found.
Tuesday, November 13 2007
Living in a Po-Co World
Expats in post-colonial Dhaka have their hearts in the right places, if their generosity at fund-raising events is anything to go by, although the end result is haphazard, like a game of ‘Pin the Conscience on the Public Servant’ that has been played their tipsy spouses.
Tuesday, October 9 2007
Sacred Ornas and Secret Longings
The orna's slim fabric casts a net of symbolism and serves as a democratic garment -- for a certain class of people.
Tuesday, September 18 2007
During the Deluge
A crowd of bideshi (foreign kin) stood on the roof and watched Star Kebab burn, and the riot squad shamble in, and the sky fill with black-blue smoke.
Thursday, August 16 2007
Travels in Little China
The Chinese brand of red tape now wraps around Tibet as fiercely as the Red Guards that once invaded it. Travelers who gain access now see a Disney-fied Tibet.
Thursday, June 21 2007
Seeking Some Reprieve
I can now wrench my hand away from a doe-eyed child miming hunger and clinging to me without losing my stride. One’s brain, as well as one’s bowels, are not always all right in Bangladesh.
Thursday, May 24 2007
Dr. Dhaka’s Lonely Hearts Club
For the Bengalis, dating and marriage are integrally intertwined with familial love. For a single female visitor, a creative spin on extended family relations helps with the curious doorman.
Wednesday, April 18 2007
Deep ’Desh
The minute I step out of my flat, Bangladesh drags me into its unique intensity; and without home as a point of reference, I am left without my level of reasoning.
