The Hippo at my Door!

When the shore is coloured Flamingo Pink.

'A zoo in My Luggage”, like that of Gerald Durrell's, would have been quite unnecessary here in the land of the Masai Mara. One need only look out one's cabin window. I am surrounded by the dusty yellowness of the Kenyan grasslands, broken from the pale blue sky by the bluish green of distant hills. The area where my log cabin is situated is monkey territory by day, occasionally overrun by tiny electric blue birds and odd, colourful lizards. Things, however, are different at night.

All sorts of things take place after dark. The dining hall of the safari resort, a grand affair with trophy heads and African wooden sculptures, is a two-minute walk from my cabin. We are deeply engrossed in consuming stir-fried beef, followed by chocolate pudding, when one of the Masai guards approaches us. Are we the occupants of cabin 72? It turns out we are. Apparently two hippopotamuses have taken up dining on the grass in front of our cabin and would we be kind enough not to disturb them on our way back?

King of the grasslands?

The walk back to our cabin is a thrilling yet scary venture, but we take courage in the fact that our guard is a traditional Masai warrior who claims to have killed two lions with spears in his lifetime. Not that the hippopotamuses would attack us. The only animals with potential danger are the rhino, with their horns and unpredictable temper, especially the strong, aggressive buffalo. The hippo, when viewed from the back, is rather comical, with its huge behind and tiny, twig-like legs. The very fact that it was even there was not a matter of surprise. Since the hotel is really a bunch of log cabins right in the middle of the grasslands, with no boundaries whatsoever, animals come and go.

Brushing my teeth before bed, I watch my mother take her customary walk at night, quite oblivious to the giant owls interrupting her every now and then. When standing, they look more like land animals than birds, large as they are. One comes up well above her waist.

Bedtime, however, is postponed, with a pack of lions suddenly coming into our camp. They first make their appearance in the opening behind our cabin. Following the shouts of fellow cabin dwellers, we look out through the glass wall, and with the aid of a torch behold two lions followed by their lionesses. Since lions are alpha male and lazy by nature, such collaborations between two or more males and their lionesses are rare. They must be out on an important kill, we deduce. Soon enough, our Masai guard informs us that they had come in search of those very hippos which had been grazing happily in front of our cabin! Luckily, they had sensed danger and left some time back.

Our exposure to the Masai people is not just limited to our guards. Heavily ornamented women dressed in red from the local tribes often come to the hotels to sell handcrafted bead jewellery. Their trademark ear piercings are large enough to pass bamboo canes through. That night we are visited by tall Masai men who perform their traditional dance. The highest a man can jump during the dance, the better his chances are of attracting a mate.

At dawn we wake up to a cool grassland morning. A quick visit to the hotel's resident hippos finishes our early morning tea and we are off on our safari with a jeep and an icebox full of ginger ale.

Here in the midst of the great African Rift Valley, one has to re-learn the laws of nature. The lion, apparently, is not king of the jungle because:
1. Lions do not live in jungles, they live in grasslands.
2. They, too, live in fear of other animals. A mighty kick from an adult giraffe could send a lion flying, literally.
3. Unlike popular belief, lions do not eat human beings because, as my guide insisted, our meat does not taste good to them. Oddly enough, I felt insulted.

There are other lessons to learn too. When we watch a zebra save its child from an attack of a cheetah on TV we cheer for it, but here in the reality of things the harshness of it does not cease there, as it only means that that cheetah and her cubs will go hungry that day, and may even die.

Smart in stripes.

The lions are not hard to find, but the cheetahs are, being loners by nature. It's really all National Geographic, only you are in the TV set. Graceful giraffes, wild elephants, wildebeests, zebras and hyenas move in packs, herds and groups They all completely ignore us humans, all except a small dikdik (tiny deer) that suddenly appears from a small bush, looks up startled, and then disappears.

The grass is drying up and only a few days back millions of wildebeests had made their legendary annual crossing over the valley between Kenya and Tanzania. Now all there is left there is the overpowering stench of the carcasses, thousands of them, of the ones who did not make the brutal crossing of the steep valley, populated with alligators and vultures who wait the whole year to feast on them.

We had earlier been introduced to some of these animals in Nairobi. We visited an elephant orphanage where a baby elephant, colourfully attired in red, stole the show for us. There was also the charming estate of Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke of the 'Out of Africa' fame, part of which is now conserved for the protection of giraffes. For a small fee you can feed the giraffes from a tower.

Quite a few hours drive away from Nairobi is the Flamingo Park with a lake which boasts the highest concentration of flamingos in the world. Viewed from a hilltop, the shores are lined with flamingo pink. Viewed close up, the brilliant sight is juxtaposed with the overpowering stench of bird droppings, but the adventurous soul gets used to it after some time. There are also baboons, those tiny electric blue birds as well as others I cannot name. The highlight of the tour, though, was a rhino couple peacefully napping under a tree.

We left the same way we came- in a whirlwind of dust kicked up by the wheels in the wake of our jeep. I looked back to get one last look and before I turned back I glimpsed, just for a fleeting second, a little dikdik's head peeking out from behind a roadside bush.

A walk to remember: Timeless Mughal magic:

In 1608, Dhaka was made the capital of the vast eastern provinces of the mighty Mughal Empire, then at the zenith of its power. From then on, the term “Puran (Old) Dhaka” frequently appeared in the journals of Mughal generals. Within 100 years, it was transformed from a garrison town, into a flourishing, cosmopolitan city with a population of approximately 700,000, and an impressive 11-mile long waterfront.

Continuing its efforts to inject passion into heritage awareness, the Urban Study Group (USG), led by passionate architects Homaira Zaman and Taimur Islam, has 90 percent of Old Dhaka monuments and buildings surveyed and listed. For yet another flavour of the old town, one doesn't regret taking their Mughal Walk early on a Friday morning.

Across the long-reclaimed Dholaikhal, at the edge of Tanti Bazaar, the narrow streets lead to the Bongshal Talaab. Making an appearance in the 1908 version of the Cadastral Survey map, the roughly 100-year-old water tank is one of the few remaining in Dhaka and maintained by the community. It costs Tk 2 for an unlimited stay in the water, but a local panchayat member laments that sewage is leaking into the pond, killing the fish. The USG dreams of beautifying the area by relocating the surrounding timber merchants (kathpatti), transforming the area with a pedestrian zone and cafes.

Totally modified buildings seem to be the norm in Kasaituli (butcher's market), the next maholla (neighbourhood), but within the concrete jungle, the Kasaituli Jaam-e mosque stands out like a dull jewel. The 125-year-old edifice is known for its intricate chini tikri mosaics and boasts unique enamel work. While the façade is well preserved, some older portions were compromised when the interior was recently renovated, the main chamber too perfectly remodelled.

Homaira explained, “Tiles are now used for the mosaic, obliterating the 3D effect of the original chini tikri. The old imperfections are gone; the new surfaces appear flattened.” Although built much later, the mosque displays typical Mughal period features, including a fluted dome sitting on an octagonal drum, flanked by two smaller side domes. Characteristic cusp arches divide the inner chamber into three. Several octagonal turrets are topped off with carved finials. Residents throw buckets of water against the outer walls to remove the dust, revealing amazing floral patterns in cobalt blue, emerald green, red and gold, glinting in the sunlight.

Turn back as you walk on to Mahut-tuli to see the enormity of challenges the USG faces in the form of haphazard new construction. On the border of what used to be the elephant keepers' neighbourhood and the old Armenian quarter Armanitola, lies the Star Mosque, its large central and two lateral domes, as the name implies, covered in blue stars. Said to have been built in the early 19th century, a substantial veranda was added about 80 years ago. Pretty Japanese floral tiles, some of them identical to those seen in Tanti Bazaar houses, were added at that time. The use of architectural ceramics became popular in Dhaka in the 1870s; today the insides of thermos flasks are used to create a modern version of chini tikri. In the 1980s, two further domes, one large and one small, were built as part of a northern extension, destroying the centrality of the Mughal-style mosque. The original main dome rests on the drum of a so-called half dome, typical of a genre of Mughal mosque architecture in Bengal.

Next door is the red-bricked Armanitola Boys' School, in 1904 Raj-style architecture. It was in the late 17th century that Armenian traders arrived and settled in Dhaka, gradually getting involved in politics, urban and social development. Affluent Armenian families built their own houses on marshy, reclaimed land, the jute industry flourishing under their beneficence in the mid 1800s.

On Noor Baksh Lane, clusters of houses with common courtyards can be seen, a regular feature of Dhaka's Muslim neighbourhoods. Among these lies landowner Abul Hasnat's 120-year-old mansion, with stained glass rose windows and wooden beamed ceilings, where two branches of his descendants still reside. From the swords displayed on the walls to the ornate, carved furniture, the once-upon-a-time grace of the house can be imagined.

Of the few remaining Mughal period structures is the 250-year-old Taqui House, once belonging to Syed Taqui Mohammed of Mughal elite lineage. The multi-cusp arched building serves as Mohammadi Begum's Imambara (Shia shrine), where the local Ashura (Muharram mourning) procession begins. Unlike other parts of Old Dhaka, Taimur and Homaira don't need to persuade the owners to preserve the houses here; happily, the awareness to save some part of the past lies ingrained in these old-world families.

Then quickly pass through Maulvi Bazaar, built on the untraceable ruins of Mukim Katra caravanserai, constructed in the 1600s, into further caravanserai territory. Built in 1644 during the Mughal glory days, for Shah Jahan's son Shah Shuja, Subedar (Governor) of Bengal, the highlight of the trip is the Bara Katra. Ensconced in a jumble of buildings, it could easily be missed. The South Gate is quietly imposing and only two of the four turrets remain. “It's comparable to many of the structures that were built in Delhi or Agra during Shah Jahan's time,” Taimur is pleased to add. Local merchants have set up shop in the cavernous side rooms that were once used for goods storage.

Through the gatehouse, walkers are able to pass under the dome, a steep, jagged climb to the very top for a view of the Buriganga in the distance. Seeing that heritage conservation was a sensitive issue, the USG organised an art exhibition at a local school, which helped building bridges all around. Leaving via the Jail Gate, back out to colourful Chawk Bazaar, the largest fresh produce market in town, the walk is over after four hours. Endless permutations of the route are possible; email usg.dhaka@gmail.com for more information.

The Culture of Sound

View from a bell-tower.

Standing in Farmgate, or at any other busy intersection in this everything-to-everyone city, you could be forgiven for thinking Bangladesh is the noisiest country on Earth. It's not just the cacophony of car horns, the deafening rumble of bus engines or the clamoring of rickshaw bells; there's the bargaining for vegetables, the shouting at someone in the way; the call of ticket-sellers and touts. There's one man on crutches calling out to his creator in the hope of alms; there's the clash of crockery at a tea shop, the feet on pavement, someone cracking the bones in their fingers and the snip of scissors at a pavement barber's. And being Bangladesh, there are hundreds of mobile calls in progress. Only Bangladeshis can hear that well!

Yes, Bangladesh as noisiest country is a claim that would've set my head nodding in delighted agreement; at least it was so, before 2006, before I found the other contender to the title: Nicaragua.

Cultures have a sound. Bangladeshis know this, for on 21 February they celebrate their language in a way no other country does. Ekushey is recognition that language is an integral part of culture and self-identity; so too with sound.

Almost exactly on the other side of the world, in Nicaragua, lies the small city of Granada. The oldest colonial city in the Americas, it's the place I was fortunate enough to call home for five months in 2006. It's not a place that looks loud: set around a leafy square in a fairly regular street grid, Granada is sultry and tropical. To the east of the main square lies the shore of Lake Nicaragua, the vast expanse of brown that forms the largest lake in Central America and the city's best form of air-conditioning, when gentle lake breezes offer respite from the heat of the day. It should be tranquil.

A city of tradition, Granada is blessed with splendid Spanish-style villas featuring customary curve-tiled roofs and internal courtyards of palm trees and gardens. Street-side, houses are thick-walled and windows few; in every feature, the large wooden doors of each entrance and the use of columns and arches, the strong influence

of Islamic architecture on Spanish tradition is evident. In Granada though, you'll find no Muslims; instead small colonial-style churches are sprinkled here and there, with tall bell-towers in place of minarets. That Nicaragua is a very Catholic country is evident in Granada. It's a pious city. No, apart from the brash colour of the buildings, the mustard yellow, cool aqua, red ochre or lilac-trim, there's little visual stimulus to allude to the city's noise.

Catholic parade in Granada's streets.

But in and around the main square, to the south in the bazaar area and further west where the new shopping district lies, at full voice the city shouts. Some of the noise is familiar to Bangladeshi ears: transport engines; the din of portable generators, for Nicaragua has that problem too; the clip-clop of horse-drawn taxis like the ones to be found in old Dhaka; the monsoon rain on the roof; the bargaining and begging and touting. Megaphones are used for canvassing, driven around town for an effect reminiscent of the death announcements and cinema advertisements you hear in a Bangladeshi village. Other sounds have Bangladeshi parallels, like the church bells that replace azaan or the screech of the souped-up cars of young drivers, ripping by at ludicrous speed, stereos blaring, which might compensate for the more restrained use of car horns in Granada. Still other sounds are unique.

Yes, to make up for the lower population, Granada with just 240,000 people and all Nicaragua with a population of only about 5.5 million, in a country only slightly smaller in area than Bangladesh, the help of amplifiers is required to increase decibels. Shops belch an array of drum beats and tunes, from Nicaraguan folk songs to Spanish pop, at a volume where going shopping can risk causing headaches; but to 'Nicas' it's normal.

If that were not enough, Nicas have a penchant for festivals. Most festivals have an origin in Catholicism, and the Catholic calendar when properly played out is a busy one. It's not uncommon in Granada to accidentally run into a parade, church attendants at the front holding staves aloft, with flags, candles and a statue of some saint or the Virgin Mary; and at the back, most probably, will be a mariachi brass band, trumpets blasting and large drums pounding out a marching rhythm. There's the running of the bulls, more famous in Pamplona, Spain, when bulls are let loose to chase spectators down the streets. There's the parade of proud and strong horses from outlying estancias (farms), which curtsey and dance for peoples' amusement. These events, and of course weddings, are also suitable for brass bands.

With all the occasions, the brass bands need to rehearse and in Granada rehearsal's not considered a private activity, so they set up on the back of small trucks and play as they are driven around town in preparation for an upcoming event, regardless of the hour. It was on more than one occasion I was awoken at 3 a.m. by a brass band in full throttle being driven past my bedroom window. I could only sigh; happy I was there.

(Top) The 'running of the bulls' parade. (Bottom) Granada: it's not a place that looks loud.

There's much to do around Granada: you can go kayaking on the lake or visit one of the volcanoes that create the fascinating dinosaur landscape that makes up much of the country. There's active Masaya volcano, where you can look down into a steaming, hot crater; a few years ago that volcano suddenly spit out a boulder that flattened a car. Closer to Granada is the extinct, water-filled Laguna de Apoyo crater, crystal clear and idyllic for swimming; and closer still, overlooking the town, is dormant Mombacho, whose hillsides are covered in jungle suitable for hiking. There you can see pillars of steam rising from cracks in the earth; but even the volcano-jungles, true to their nationality, manage to be noisy. Particularly in the mornings and evenings, when defending their territory of treetops, the howler monkeys bellow, a grunting rhythm that can be heard many hundreds of metres away.

The link between sound and culture plays true when you meet the people, the Nicas, for apart from the nearest neighbours perhaps, you'd be hard-pressed to find people more like Bangladeshis: friendly, sensitive, spirited and soulful, these are adjectives that apply to the people of both countries. Nicas might be a little shier, although my poor Spanish didn't help; nonetheless I found myself wondering if similar people make similar sounds, or if similar sounds make similar people.

In South Asia, arguably, nowhere is home to literature more than Bengal and in Nicaragua it's said 'a Nica is a poet until proven otherwise'. What a great saying!

As you celebrate Nazrul, Tagore and the others, Nicaraguans remember in statues and street names their great author and poet Rubén Darío (1867-1916), renowned throughout Central America and often regarded as founder of the Latin American literature movement called modernismo.

And in the deep wells of brown Nica eyes, where there's a complex concoction of despair, hardship, humility, joy and hope: a history as difficult as this country's, marred by dictatorship and war; the same worry of securing a salary, of finding a job at all; the beauty of landscape; the strong sense of community; in those Nica eyes I thought, yes, maybe a little, I could sense the spirit of Bangladesh.

Last February, in this city, as the tragedy unfolded in Pilkhana, I'm sure I was not the only one in nearby neighbourhoods to despair at the eerie silence in normally busy streets, the quiet that screamed all was not normal. I can't be the only one who hoped for a return to the raucous clash and clang of traffic, the hubbub of markets and life: all the sounds that make Dhaka. Thankfully they have returned, and with them my secret link to Nicaragua. For yes, if you stand at Farmgate and close your eyes, you might just be able to imagine Granada.

As evening yawns and most of Granada's sounds have gone home for the day, people open their doors and relocate to the footpath, the best place to enjoy the lake breezes funnelled along the streets. They sit in rocking chairs and chat with family members, neighbours and friends. Could it be the time, in the Bangladesh of Latin America, reserved for a little adda-in-Spanish?

োজ েন িন ন

জাদઓঘেরর সময়সકিচ ও োফান নਹর
জাতীয় জাদઓঘর, শাহবাগ
সাਮািহক বਬ: বৃহએপিতবার৷
ੂਠઙবার োখালা থােক িবেকল িতনটা োথেক রাত অাটটা পযગੰ੪৷ শিন োথেক বઓধবার সকাল সােড় নয়টা োথেক িবেকল সােড় চারটা (অেਇাবর োথেক মাচગ)৵ সকাল সােড় ১০টা োথেক িবেকল সােড় পঁাচটা পযગੰ੪ (এিপઝল োথেক োসেੳটਹর)৷
# সরকাির ছઓিটর িদন বਬ থােক৷
োফান: ৮৬১৯৩৯৬-৯৯

অাহসান মিਙল জাদઓঘর
সাਮািহক বਬ: বৃহએপিতবার৷
ੂਠઙবার োখালা থােক িবেকল িতনটা োথেক রাত অাটটা পযગੰ੪৷ শিন োথেক বઓধবার সকাল নয়টা োথেক িবেকল পঁাচটা (অেਇাবর োথেক মাচગ)৵ সকাল ১০টা োথেক সਬઘা ছয়টা পযગੰ੪ (এিপઝল োথেক োসেੳটਹর)৷
# সরকাির ছઓিটর িদন বਬ থােক৷
োফান: ৭৩৯১১২২, ৭৩৯৩৮৬৬
বਔবਬઓ োশখ মઓিজবઓর রহমান એੱৃিত জাদઓঘর, ধানমিਫ
সাਮািহক বਬ: বઓধবার৷
অনઘ িদনਊেলােত োখালা থােক সকাল ১০টা োথেক িবেকল পঁাচটা পযગੰ੪৷
# সরকাির ছઓিটর িদন োখালা থােক৷
োফান: ৮১১০০৪৬

নজরઔল জাদઓঘর, নজরઔল ইনিઍটিটউট ধানমিਫ
সাਮািহক বਬ: ੂਠઙ ও শিনবার৷
পઝিতিদন সকাল নয়টা োথেক িবেকল পঁাচটা পযગੰ੪ োখালা থােক৷
# সরকাির ছઓিটর িদেন বਬ থােক৷
োফান: ৮১১১৬২১

মઓিਡઙযઓਤ জাদઓঘর, োসਊনবািগচা
সাਮািহক বਬ: োরাববার৷
োসাম োথেক শিনবার োখালা থােক সকাল ১০টা োথেক িবেকল পঁাচটা (অেਇাবর োথেক োফবચઔয়াির)৵ সকাল ১০টা োথেক সਬઘা ছয়টা পযગੰ੪ (মাচગ োথেক োসেੳটਹর)৷
োফান: ৯৫৫৯০৯১-২

জাতীয় িবਛান ও পઝযઓিਡઙ জাদઓঘর অাগারগঁাও
সাਮািহক বਬ: বৃহએপিত ও ੂਠઙবার৷
শিন োথেক বઓধবার োখালা থােক সকাল নয়টা োথেক িবেকল পঁাচটা পযગੰ੪৷
পઝেবশমূলઘ: জনপઝিত পঁাচ টাকা৷ এ ছাড়া শিন ও োরাববার সਬઘা ছয়টা োথেক ১০ টাকার িটিকেটর িবিনমেয় োটিলেੌােপ অাকাশ পযગেবਉণ করা যায়৷
# সরকাির ছઓিটর িদন বਬ থােক৷
োফান: ৯১১২০৮৪

সামিরক জাদઓঘর,
িবজয় সরিণ
সাਮািহক বਬ: বৃহએপিত ও ੂਠઙবার৷
শিন োথেক বઓধবার োখালা থােক সকাল সােড় নয়টা োথেক িবেকল সােড় চারটা পযગੰ੪৷
# সরকাির ছઓিট ও োসনাবািহনীর ঐি੧ছক ছઓিটর সময় বਬ থােক৷
োফান: োসনািনবাস এਈেচਙ-৯৮৭০০১১, ৮৭৫০০১১ (জাদઓঘর এਈেটনশন-৭৫৪২)

িশੂ একােডমী জাদઓঘর
সাਮািহক বਬ: ੂਠઙ ও শিনবার৷
রিব োথেক বৃহએপিতবার োখালা থােক সকাল নয়টা োথেক িবেকল পঁাচটা পযગੰ੪৷
# সরকাির ছઓিটর িদন বਬ থােক৷
োফান: ৯৫৫৮৮৭৪

নগর জাদઓঘর, নগর ভবন
সাਮািহক বਬ: ੂਠઙ ও শিনবার৷
রিব োথেক বৃহએপিতবার সকাল নয়টা োথেক িবেকল সােড় চারটা পযગੰ੪ োখালা থােক৷
# সরকাির ছઓিটর িদন বਬ থােক৷
োফান: ৯৫৫৮২৫৫-৫৯, ৯৫৬৭৬০৯
োপাઍটাল জাদઓঘর, িজিপও, নકর োহােসন চতંর
সাਮািহক বਬ: ੂਠઙ ও শিনবার৷
রিব োথেক বৃহએপিতবার সকাল নয়টা োথেক িবেকল চারটা পযગੰ੪ োখালা থােক৷
# সরকাির ছઓিটর িদন বਬ থােক৷
োফান: ৯৫৬১৫৩৩, ৯৫৫২৫২৭

জলઇাদখানা বধઘভકিম એੱৃিতপীঠ
িমরপઓর-১০
পઝিতিদন সকাল নয়টা োথেক সਬઘা ছয়টা পযગੰ੪ োখালা থােক৷ শিনবার িবেকল পঁাচটা োথেক সােড় ছয়টা পযગੰ੪ িনবગািচত একিট িবদઘালেয়র িশਉাথગীেদর িনেয় ‘গেઈপ গেઈপ মઓিਡઙযઓਤ’ শীষગক অােয়াজন থােক৷
োফান: ৯৫৫৯০৯১-২

ভাষা অাে੯দালন জাদઓঘর
ধানমিਫ
ভাষাৈসিনক কাজী োগালাম মাহবઓব সড়েকর (সড়ক-১০) ৫ নਹর বািড়েত পઝিতিদন সকাল নয়টা োথেক রাত অাটটা পযગੰ੪ োখালা থােক৷
োফান: ৯১১৪৯৯২, ০১৭১২৮১৯২৬০

শহীদ জননী জাহানারা ইমাম એੱৃিত জাদઓঘর, এিলফઘা੯ট োরাড
কিনকা, ৩৫৫ শহীদ জননী জাহানার ইমাম সরিণেত (এিলফઘা੯ট োরাড) এ জাদઓঘরিট শিনবার সকাল ১০টা োথেক িবেকল পঁাচটা পযગੰ੪ োখালা থােক৷
োফান: ০১৭৩২১৭৪০৮৮ (ੂধઓ শিনবার)

বাঙািল সমগઝ জাদઓঘর, এিলফઘা੯ট োরাড
খােয়র মઘানশন, ২৩৫/২ এিলফઘা੯ট োরােড পઝিতিদন সকাল ১০টা োথেক োবলা দઓইটা এবং িবেকল চারটা োথেক রাত অাটটা পযગੰ੪ োখালা থােক৷
োফান: ৮৬২৩৩৪৬

ঢাকােক੯দઝ, ফরাশগਙ
২৪ োমািহনী োমাহন দাস োলেনর োদাতলায় পઝিতিদন িবেকল চারটা োথেক রাত অাটটা পযગੰ੪ োখালা থােক৷ তেব ੂਠઙবার োখালা থােক সকাল নয়টা োথেক দઓপઓর সােড় ১২টা পযગੰ੪৷
োফান: ০১৭১১৫২২৯২১

Geography of Bangladesh : Quick look

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India.

Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 90 00 E.
Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 144,000 sq km.
land: 133,910 sq km.
water: 10,090 sq km.

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Iowa.

Land boundaries:
total: 4,246 km
border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline: 580 km.
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 18 nm.
continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin.
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm.
territorial sea: 12 nm.

Climate: tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast.

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m.
highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m.

Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber.

Land use:
arable land: 61%
permanent crops: 3%
other: 36% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season.

Environment-current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; limited access to potable water; water-borne diseases prevalent; water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation; deforestation; severe overpopulation.

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: Only a small portion of the boundary with India remains undelimited; discussions to demarcate the boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves, and allocate divided villages remain stalled; skirmishes, illegal border trafficking, and violence along the border continue; Bangladesh has protested India's attempts to fence off high traffic sections of the porous boundary; Burmese attempts to construct a dam on the border stream in 2001 prompted an armed response halting construction; Burmese Muslim refugees migrate into Bangladesh straining meager resources.

Bangladesh - A south asian country which is Lying north of the Bay of Bengal. iT has a total area of 147570 sq .km and population is about 124 million. On land it borders India in the north and west & Myanmar in the southeast.

Bangladesh is subdivided into 6 divisions, all named after their respective capitals. These are:

* Dhaka Division * Chittagong Division * Khulna Division
* Sylhet Division * Rajshahi Division & * Barishal Division

DHAKA DIVISION
Dhaka division is located at center of the country has an area of 31119 sq. km and a population of 38.678 million. It has 17 districts and 64 municipalities. Main rivers of this division are padma, jamuna, meghna, old brahmaputra, dhaleshwari, shitalakshya, brahmaputra, buriganga, arial khan. Madhupur and Bhawal Garhs are located to the northern parts of Dhaka, in Gazipur, southern part of Mymensingh and eastern part of Tangail districts; Garo hills are located in Mymensingh district. Dhaka (Capital City) stands on the bank of the river Buriganga.
DHAKA CITY
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. The city is known as the city of mosque, muslin and rickshaws. It has attracted travellers from far and near through ages. Dhaka as the capital of Bangladesh has grown into a busy city of about ten million people with an area of about 1353 sq. km. Having a happy blending of old and new architectural trends, Dhaka has been developing fast as a modern city and is throbbing with activities in all spheres of life. It is the center of industrial, commercial, cultural, educational and political activities for Bangladesh.


:: Lalbagh Fort
The fort of Aurangabad, popularly known as the Lalbagh Fort, was built in 1678 AD by the then Viceroy of Bengal Prince Mohammad Azam, son of the Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb. The fort has a three storied structure with slender minarets at the South Gate. It has many hidden passages and a mosque of massive structure. Outstanding among the monuments of the Lalbagh Fort are the Tomb of Pari Bibi (Fairy lady) and Audience room and Hummam Khana (bathing place) of Nawab Shaista Khan, now housing a museum.
The fort was the scene of bloody battle during the first war of independence (1857) when 260 spays stationed here backed by the people revolted against British forces. It is one of the great historical places of Mughal era. A small museum is there in this fort where you will find the clothes and weapons of the Mughols.

Lalbagh fort is in the old town of Dhaka at Lalbagh. It is open 10 am-5 pm Sunday to Friday & Saturday is closed.
The capital city Dhaka predominantly was a city of the Mughals. In hundred years of their vigorous rule successive Governors and princely Viceroys who ruled the province, adorned it with many noble monuments in the shape of magnificent places, mosques, tombs, fortifications and 'Katras' often surrounded with beautifully laid out gardens and pavilions. Among these, few have survived the ravages of time, aggressive tropical climate of the land and vandal hands of man.
But the finest specimen of this period is the Aurangabad Fort [commonly known as Lalbagh Fort], which indeed represents the unfulfilled dream of a Mughal Prince. It occupies the southwestern part of the old city, overlooking the Buriganga on whose northern bank it stands as a silent sentinel of the old city.
Rectangular in plan, it encloses an area of 1082' by 800' and in addition to its graceful lofty gateways on southeast and northeast corners and a subsidiary small unpretentious gateway on north, it also contains within its fortified perimeter a number of splendid monuments, surrounded by attractive garden. These are a small 3-domed mosque, the mausoleum of Bibi Pari the reputed daughter of Nawab Shaista Khan and the Hammam and Audience Hall of the Governor. The main purpose of this fort was to provide a defensive enclosure of the palatial edifices of the interior and as such was a type of palace-fortress rather than a siege fort.

Main Tourist Spots In Dhaka Division:

Inside Dhaka City: Ahsan Manjil - Lalbag Fort - National Museum - Bangabandhu Memorial - Mukti Juddha Museum - Science Museum - Shadhinota Stambha - National Poet's Graveyard - Suhrawardy Uddyan - National Leader Mausoleum - Banga-Bhaban - Ramna Park - Parliament House - Arts & Crafts Institute - Curzon Hall - Old High Court - 1857 Memorial - National Zoo - Botanical Garden - Baldha Garden - Star Mosque - Baitul Mukarram Mosque - Mosques - Hindu Temples - Churches

Outside Dhaka City: Mosque Of Baba Adam - Sonargaon - National Martyrs Memorial - Bhawal National Park - Jamuna Bridge - Tungipara - Modhupur Picnic Spot - Susang Durgapur - Gajni Parjatan Center

:: Ahsan Manjil
Built in 1872 and standing on the river Buriganga, this stately building offers the visitors a feeling of the life-style of the Nawabs of Dhaka. Sometimes known as the Pink Palace, this building now houses a splendid museum.
Basically, it was the residence of the Nawabs. Nawab Abdul Gani renovated this building in the year 1872 and named it after his son Khaza Ahasanullah.

On the bank of river Buriganga in Dhaka the Pink majestic, Ahsan Manjil has been renovated and turned into a museum recently. It is an epitome of the nation's rich cultural heritage.

Todays renovated Ahsan Manjil a monument of immense historical beauty.

It has 31 rooms with a huge dome atop which can be seen from miles around. It now has 23 galleries in 31 rooms displaying of traits, furniture and household articles and utensils used by the Nawab.

Open 9 am- 5 pm from Saturday to Wednesday and 3-5 pm on Friday. Thursday is close.


:: Bangladesh national museum:

Bangladesh national museum is situated in shahbag. Located at the central point of the city. The museum contains a large number of interesting collections including sculptures and paintings of the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim periods as well as inscriptions of the Holy Quran in Arabic and Persian letters and Bengali works in the Arabic script.


The museum also has a rich collection of old coins, metal images, books on art, silver filigree works etc.

Though established in 1913 it was refurbished and opened in the year 1983. Its open from Friday to Wednesday, 9 am to 6 pm. Your mind must be going to the old era when you visit this museum.

:: Bangabandhu memorial museum

Bangabandhu memorial museum is situated at road no. 32 Dhanmondi R/A. The residence of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been turn in to a museum. It contains rare collection of personal effects and photographs of his lifetime. This three- stored building as known as Bangabandhu Bhaban. This building turned in to a museum in year 1997. It’s open 10am to 6pm from Thursday to Tuesday, Wednesday closed.

:: Mukti juddha museum

This is the museum on our liberation war which is well known as mukti juddha. Mukti juddha museum situated at Segun Bagicha of the city the museum contains rare photographs of liberation war and items used by the freedom fighters during the period. It’s open 9am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday, Sunday closed.

:: Science museum

The museum is modern learning center related to the latest science discoveries. It is situated at Agargaon.

:: Shadhinota Stambha

Shadhinota Stambha is the place where Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Delivered his historical speech on 7th march 1971. With his speech, Bangladeshi Nation got the enthusiasm for our great Liberation War in 1971. To recognize the historical memory, this Stambha was made.

:: National Poet's Graveyard

Revolutionary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam died on the 29 August 1976 and was buried here. The graveyard is adjacent to the Dhaka University Mosque.

:: Suhrawardy Uddyan (Garden)

A Popular Park. The oath of independence of Bangladesh was taken here and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman gave clarion call for independence on this occasion on the 7th March 1971. The place is famous for its lush verdure and gentle breezes. Eternal Flame to enliven the memory of the martyrs of our Liberation war has been blown here recently.

:: Mausoleum of National Leaders

Its located at the southwestern corner of Suhrawardy Uddyan, it is the eternal resting place of great national leaders, Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Haque, Hossain Shahid Suhrawardy and Khaja Nazimuddin.
:: Banga-Bhaban

The official residence of the President, located in the city. One can have an outside view of this grand palace.
:: Parliament House



Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (Parliament House) located at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar has distinctive architectural features. Designed by the famous architect Louis I. Kahn, it may be called an architectural wonder of this region.

:: Ramna Park

A vast stretch of green garden surrounded by a serpentine lake near the Sheraton Hotel.




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