Today I got holed up all day in a hotel room. I arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a business meeting representing my institution. Meeting was scheduled to start today but, apparently, the opposition party called a strike. Earlier they were planning to take us to the university, where we are meeting, in an ambulance but that plan was cancelled today. The guy told us the political situtation was too unsafe to travel.
The street looks deserted. They have told us not to go outside the hotel so whatever I have peeked out from the window at the end of the hallway (the windows of the hotel rooms are blocked, by walls, not sure if it is a protection measure) probably does not represent the whole Dhaka on the day of this strike. Just a few moments ago there were loud sounds ringing out, sounded like gun shots. Not sure if they were aimed on somebody or were just warning shots or maybe burst out tires. I dared not to check it out.
Bangladesh was called the "basket case" of Asia, a hopeless country. But it has pulled out of that reputation lately. It has done much better than other countries in the region in terms of several social indicators. The Economist says "Bangladesh combines economic disappointment with social progress.".. "The country has achieved some of the largest reductions in early deaths of infants, children and women in childbirth ever seen anywhere."
Dhaka airport's relative magnanimity just after coming from the chaos of Kathmandu's airport had been a welcome feeling. But today's deserted Dhaka offers no such solace. On the way to the hotel from the airport, a Nepali compatriot and a colleague at a different institution told me he feels better each time he comes to Dhaka: at least we are not the only country which is in a dismal shape, there are some worse than ours. But I am afraid he might be wrong. In it's shabby exterior, this country seems to be doing the right things. That can not be said with confidence in ours. But it indeed offers a consolation that things can be done even in most dismal of states. It is a consolation we terribly need working in the current conditions of Nepal.
The street looks deserted. They have told us not to go outside the hotel so whatever I have peeked out from the window at the end of the hallway (the windows of the hotel rooms are blocked, by walls, not sure if it is a protection measure) probably does not represent the whole Dhaka on the day of this strike. Just a few moments ago there were loud sounds ringing out, sounded like gun shots. Not sure if they were aimed on somebody or were just warning shots or maybe burst out tires. I dared not to check it out.
Bangladesh was called the "basket case" of Asia, a hopeless country. But it has pulled out of that reputation lately. It has done much better than other countries in the region in terms of several social indicators. The Economist says "Bangladesh combines economic disappointment with social progress.".. "The country has achieved some of the largest reductions in early deaths of infants, children and women in childbirth ever seen anywhere."
Dhaka airport's relative magnanimity just after coming from the chaos of Kathmandu's airport had been a welcome feeling. But today's deserted Dhaka offers no such solace. On the way to the hotel from the airport, a Nepali compatriot and a colleague at a different institution told me he feels better each time he comes to Dhaka: at least we are not the only country which is in a dismal shape, there are some worse than ours. But I am afraid he might be wrong. In it's shabby exterior, this country seems to be doing the right things. That can not be said with confidence in ours. But it indeed offers a consolation that things can be done even in most dismal of states. It is a consolation we terribly need working in the current conditions of Nepal.
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