First week in Dhaka

The rickshaw traffic here in Dhaka is incredible. The other day, my rickshaw fell over and spilled me into the street. Rickshawallas have a tough job, pedaling day and night, rain or shine. I can haggle with anyone and everyone, but never with a rickshawalla. Every rickshaw is the unique creation of its owner, and designs are highly individuated. 600,000 rickhsaws means this place is crowded, but the air is cleaner than I expected. I see trash in the streets, but the absence of plastic bags is notable. Almost all the waste here is biodegradable.

The Jatiyo Sangshad (National Assembly Building) designed by American architect Louis Kahn. Seeing the building in person is incredible. The lush, green paddies that surround this place, the serene concrete facades, the crisp geometric cutouts, all work to create a deeply moving aesthetic. On the other side of the street lies the Zia memorial park. The place is full in the mornings with karatekas, cricket matches, strolling families and young students craming quizzing eachother before exams. A peaceful, place, and full of life.