Last week I got an email from a former colleague coming to Dhaka. She had a list of questions that was similar to emails I've received before. In the interest of efficiency, I've decided to write this list up and post it, for future reference and for the benefit of anyone else looking for it. Feel free to add questions/comments at the bottom.
1. Any advice on which hotel we should stay in? Or general location in the city.
Traffic is usually really bad, so you should stay very close (within a mile or two) to the locations that you plan to frequent. There is not really a coherent city center, so there is no "downtown" to speak of. Most foreigners stay in neighborhoods called Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara.
2. Any advice on attire? (Both business and casual)
Buying clothes here is really easy and fairly inexpensive (Aarong and desi dosh are two easy places to start). Men can wear whatever they want, although shorts are uncommon. Women can wear long pants and long/loose tops. Short sleeves are ok. You'll feel more comfortable if you have a scarf too. And sun glasses.
Heels are a bad idea; sidewalks are not in good shape.
3. Currency -- what's it like making purchases with a credit card? Can we easily get money out an ATM?
High-end coffee shops/stores/restaurants/hotels accept cards. Otherwise it's cash. Easy to get cash from ATMs. Visa is more popular than mastercard, but increasingly there are cash spots available for either.
I've never changed money but theoretically it's not that hard either, you just need to go to a bank during normal business hours. No idea about traveler's checks (does anyone still use these?).
4. Sim cards: do they activate immediately, or take a few days?
Immediately. You can get one at the airport right after going through immigration. Just have two passport photos with you. The simplest thing to do is to bring a phone set with a removeable sim, and to get a pre-paid card. You can get more credit at the ubiquitous stands on the street that have the logo of your telecom carrier. Start with tk100 if you're here for a short period. You can now get internet packages like this as well, if you have a smart phone or an ipad.
5. Any must-sees while in Dhaka?
Old Dhaka is an experience and a window into what Dhaka once was, before becoming a megacity splitting at the seams. The parliament building is beautiful and there is a nice park surrounding it. Dhanmondi has several nice galleries--Drik Photography, Bengal Art, Dhaka Art Center, etc. There is also nice stuff at the Bengal Art Lounge (Gulshan 1) and in the galleries on the 1st floor (one up from the ground) in the Gulshan II DIT market, across from the Westin. Dhaka University is beautiful and full of history, but tough if you don't have a local to guide you. National Museum has some great collections, but also a lot of stuff that doesn't really belong there, so be choosy about where you spend your time so you don't run out of steam before the end. The Liberation War Museum is also quite powerful.
6. What about food?
Eating is one of the favorite past-times of Dhakaiyas. Prepare for a lot of rice! Both kichuri and biriyani are local specialities--I like mutton best but beef and chicken are also good. Vegetarians and veg lovers can also opt for a plate of white rice and "bhortas", varieties of "smashed" potato (aloo), tomato, green banana (kacha kola), egg (dim), and many more, and a nice lentil soup (daal) to accompany it. Bengalis are famous for their sweets--personally I love the sweet yogurt (doi).
There are a lot of great street snacks in Dhaka (you can also get them in restaurants but somehow they never taste quite as good). Fushka (crispy stuff, chickpeas, onions, spices) are a favorite; I like the kind with yogurt sauce (doi fushka). Jhaal muri is a good choice for people who like spicy food; if you prefer sweets, jelapi is my favorite.
Tea (cha) is everywhere. If you want it without the normal milk and sugar (which is the most delicious way) ask for lal cha (tea without milk) and/or chini chara (without sugar).
Decent thai, chinese, and korean food can be found in Banani and Gulshan. I'm less convinced of the Italian food, but Spaghetti Jazz and Bella Italia are popular. El Toro in Gulshan 1 has surprisingly good Mexican food. But honestly, if you're just in Dhaka for a week or so, stick to what we do well: Asian cuisine.
7. What's the easiest way to get around?
The short answer is that if you are a foreigner and don't know Bangla, there is NO easy way to get around. Prepared to be lost constantly. If you are going short distances, cycle rickshaws are your best bet. Make sure you fix the price before you get in. 90% of my rickshaw rides cost between 20-30tk. If someone's asking for more than 50tk, he's probably trying to rip you off.
Next option is an auto-rickshaw (green three wheelers). These have meters but no one uses them. I rarely pay more than 300tk to get anywhere in Dhaka (maybe a little more from the aiport).
I highly suggest having a local phone and always having a phone number for your destination (business card is great, especially if it's in bangla). If all else fails, you can call up the store/restaurant, etc. and ask them to give directions. The driver will not speak any English, except the amount he wants you to pay.
8. Is Dhaka safe?
I always want to ask, compared to where? Compared to many other large cities in developing countries, yes. You can generally get around safely during daylight hours, and should feel fine being out and about. Obviously keep your wallet and other valuables close to you, and if you carry a purse, make sure you've got a firm grasp on it. If you are obviously foreign (especially if you're white), you might find yourself being harassed by beggars. They can get touchy and aggressive sometimes, so I suggest firmly telling them to go away. You can also give them 5tk or so, but be prepared then that more will come your way.
White women should be prepared to get a lot of attention. Usually it does not go beyond staring and the occasional comment ("hello beautiful" and the like). But the risk for unwanted touching (the accidental brush against your shoulder or thigh) is not unheard of, especially in crowds. Look confident and glare at anyone who seems to be testing the boundaries. All of this behavior is rude. If someone talks to you, ignore them or say "ki shomosa?" (what's your problem?). If someone makes you feel really uncomfortable, start yelling at him or walk into a store to get away from him. If he touches you, feel free to hit him back (an effective way to get the message across if you can't speak Bangla). Usually bystanders will help you if they see that you are being harassed.
At night, muggings are not uncommon especially if you are foreign and alone. If you will be out, you should consider making arrangements for a car (from a trusted source, like a hotel or a friend). Auto rickshaws are the next best thing, but there are also reports of auto drivers being involved in muggings, and driving people into small alleys where muggers await them.
Most locals would not call the police if something bad happened. We don't expect that it will resolve the issue. It's good to keep the embassy's emergency number on hand in case something serious happens.
9. What's easy to get in Dhaka? What's hard?
Easy: cheap medications, Bengali foods, movies and tv episodes on dvds, kitchenware, beautiful fabrics, clothing, printouts of pictures, passport pictures, converters/adapters, manicures and other beauty treatments, nutella, peanut butter, and oddly, some new york times best sellers
Hard: alcohol, tampons, contact solution, support for authentic windows or any type of mac support, english language books (other than the top 10 and a few old favorites like Banker for the poor), and gourmet foods (good cheese, olives, whole wheat bread, powerbars), and shoes for big feet
10. What should I read before coming to Dhaka?
There's not one book that really sums up the city. It'd be good to skim the headlines from Dhaka Tribune or Daily Star a few times a week; will give you a few topics to offer up for discussion while here (cricket and politics are good starting points).
A Golden Age and A Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam are internationally recommended choices. I found Banker for the Poor and Freedom from Want comprehensive introductions to Bangladesh and its development scene (both have a rural focus). The Black Coat is a more recent book that focuses on post-Independence Dhaka. There is a growing English language scene in Dhaka--including new authors like Kazi Anis (Goodnight, Mr. Kissinger), but so far it doesn't come close to comparing with the Bangla authors. Rabindranath Tagore is the adored poet who wrote the national anthem lyrics for Bangladesh and India. If you can get your hands on any translated Humayun Ahmed, read it and then bring it to me!
"The Clay Bird" is an old movie about Bangladesh that can be found with English subtitles.
Those are all my thoughts for now. I'll add more questions and answers to this post as they come up.
The 9th floor challenged the 13th floor to a "friendly" game of cricket. There was some energetic celebration after the 13th floor's victory!! (and this carried on later in the night with the DJ!!).
We realize that there is boroi (a tasty fruit) in the tree, and promptly harvest it up for a snack before lunch.
I find a friend to kick the ball around with.
The theme of the event was, "non-interest bearing fun." I didn't have anything to do with the selection of the title, but heartily approve. My colleague Paul and I performed "Sunshine (on my shoulders)" by John Denver, complete with a few verses in Bangla.
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