Goodbye to Bangladesh

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Well, today is my last day in Bangladesh, and it just didn’t feel right to leave without sending one last post to my blog. It has been a crazy week and a half, but a good one in many ways. Last weekend I was invited to two weddings, so I got to get all dressed up in my sari, which always makes people so happy. Unfortunately Bengali Muslim weddings are not particularly interesting - or at least the receptions. The bride and groom sit on a platform and everyone stares at them, then there is a mad dash to try and get a seat when the food is served. You eat chicken tika, mutton biryani, a tonne of rice, and if you are very lucky - one or two slices of cucumber. There is also this creamy drink that is a lot like drinking salad dressing. But, going to wedding receptions, for however short a time, makes friends very happy, so I was glad to go.

The past week the opposition lead road-rail-water blockade of the city resumed (not sure if you get this news at home). On the third day the outgoing parties called a “counter-program” hartal to protest the siege of the city. Prices have sky-rocketed and apparently the country looses something like 70 billion dollars a day just by having the garment industry crippled. But life must go on. One of the international NGOs I have a good relationship with was hosting a training workshop for developing multilingual education programs (the fourth in a series of six). They had an international consultant here that I had worked with at BRAC, and they asked if I could help facilitate. Of course the location of the workshop was in the worst possible place - right in the middle of two blockade points where mass demonstrations were being held (I am only writing this now that I’m leaving so no one has to worry!). We had to leave by 7:30 am to avoid any problems. It was always so surreal leaving the house - the city so quiet, people out for a morning walk (I didn’t know they did that), the sun shining, birds singing, and busloads of police in riot gear unloading! All day during the workshop we could hear songs and chanting as possessions moved past. Everyday we brought an extra set of clothes in case we weren’t able to leave the site. At five we would go out to assess the situation, and it was such an amazing sight. Thousands of people in the streets with only rickshaws able to provide transportation. It was like the city must have been before so many cars - the air full of energy and the tinkling of bicycle bells. Almost peaceful (minus the protests and bombs).

The workshop was great, from my perspective. I learned so much and was also to help a lot of the groups work on their program plans. Until you have to explain it to people you never know how much knowledge you have, so that made me feel good. Who knows, maybe some of them will want to hire me as a consultant! Dennis, the workshop consultant, was also very supportive, as always. We spent lots of time talking and he encouraged me to submit a paper I wrote to an academic journal. His wife Susan, who wrote me a reference letter to get into OISE, has already been using that paper when she meets with different governments and organizations around Asia and Africa, which is great! So I guess that will be one more thing to work on when I get home. Anyway, it was a nice way to end my stay - actually helping people and remembering why I’m doing this!

Well, I did almost none of the things I wanted to do this trip, except my research. That's life here - can never plan on anything. The good news is that the blockade was lifted this morning, so I hsouldn't have a problem getting to the airport. They are lifting it until Sunday so that people can get food back into the city. If their demands aren't met by Sunday the seige will continue. Glad I'm getting out!

That’s all folks! I’m off to BRAC to do a presentation, then to finish some shopping. I have one last interview this afternoon, and then I’ll be in transit for 30 hours. THEN HOME! Thanks for reading.

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