Everything is different, nothing is moderate

 

 After two months in Dhaka, it's time to sum up some impressions.

Extreme weather.
There is no light rain, no mild sunshine in Dhaka.
When it rains, it pours.
When it's warm, it's burning hot.
When it's humid, you shower in your own sweat.

No traffic flow.
Have you been jammed in a warm day in the Dhaka traffic, hell must feel like an airy freeway.



Upstairs downstairs.
Or rather a rooftop and cellar society.
The few really rich people have endless means and a second address abroad. The really poor people have nothing and no address anywhere.
The middle class is said to be on the rise, social mobility is the nation's hope.



Dirty.
And getting dirtier. The infrastructure is insufficient and halting. There is rubbish all over the place, the sanitation methods are not sanitary.

Power outages.
Daily phenomenon but there seems to be an unwritten law that nobody comments the power outages. Even in sudden pitch darkness people tend to pretend that nothing has happened.



Good morning!
Shame on me - I don't speak Bangla. Fortunately, many locals speak English much better than I do. Still a large number of people have a relatively small vocabulary which consists of two words 'good' and 'morning', useful in any "conversation" at any time of the day.



Smiles
are abundant and nice. Most people are friendly, helpful and extremely curious.



Food
is delicious, spicy, exotic, keeps your stomach in action.

Terror
The last few days have been rather special since on Monday an Italian aid worker was shot dead in the diplomatic area of Dhaka, rather close to our house.
The Islamic State group claimed that is was behind the murder. If true, this would be the first attack of the group in Bangladesh.
According to police there is no evidence of the claim but Bangladesh has been struggling with a rapid rise of hardcore Islamists.
So far, no one is arrested. The international society has introduced a number of tight security measures, closed schools and postponed planned events.
I marked the security threat by taking a several hours walk in Dhakas busy streets far away from the diplomatic quarters.