Totally wired in Dhaka

Chaotic tangles of cables nesting above the pavements may be a common sight in South Asia but the Bangladesh capital Dhaka is certainly a prime contender for the International Excessive Wiring Award. For us tourists it can be treated as the light entertainment of an indigenous art form but for the residents it is more of a sociopolitical statement that goes to the heart of everyday life, a visible reminder of what’s wrong with the country. The imagery is not…

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Soul of the city: the sound of Dhaka

I woke to the sound of roar, a roar without end. What was it? A protest? A soccer match? Having arrived in  the early hours, when all was quiet in central Dhaka at the edge of the old city, I had only one option: to get out and explore. Besides, not being a botanist the lure of staying in and studying the abundant insect life crawling around my room didn’t seem quite so appealing. I soon located the source of…

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