From: s0k5099@zeus.tamu.edu (KHAN, SHAHRIAR)
Subject: Dhaka this Summer
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 01:54:00 GMT

		On Visiting Bangladesh This Summer (after two years)

	The roads of Dhaka have become somewhat busy and chaotic. Transportation
is not too pleasurable, even if you are in a car - chances are you'll get 
caught in a traffic jam somewhere near New market, Elephant road, or Mohakhali.
While rickshaw fares seem to have gone up by about 50 % in 2 years, baby-
taxi fares actually seem to have gone down. Most trips cost about Tk. 15 (e.g.
Banani to Farmgate, or Shahbagh to Asad gate). Be prepared to dish out more 
if you are starting from Gulshan or Baridhara. If you are in Baridhara to get
a U.S. visa, you may find that as returning students, you are being called 
for your interview  much earlier than the other applicants. 

	Video Connection, Hot Hut, Kintuki, Alliance Francaise and the other 
hangouts are going strong. When visiting Bangladesh, scb ers may want to check
out Alliance Francaise during Thursday evenings for Jazz night. However, now one
has to pay Tk 50 cover for the privilege we used to enjoy free of charge. On 
the other side of town, one can visit the Marines club in Gulshan every 
alternate Thursday. The cover of Tk. 100 seems justified since one might bump 
into some long lost friends in these places.  Rennaisance plays at Dolce Vita 
every Tuesday. They probably have more good vocalists than any other band.
Their collection of 60s and 70s music is obviously much appreciated by the 
the crowd which comes back every week to listen and dance to the same music. 
The food there, however, is less than perfect. When we ordered some Lentil 
soup, we only got some fermented mosur er dal (strongly heated to remove the 
rotten smell). Some bakeries like Memory etc. have sprouted around town.   
Their patties and pastries taste pretty good, especially if you are tired of
Big Macs and other American burgers. The food at Hot hut was good and 
reasonably priced (probably one of the few places in Dhaka where you can eat 
Futchka, without doubting their culinary cleanliness).
		
	Bangabazaar, near Fulbaria, sells good quality clothes originally 
intended for the export market. Their quality is better than what one can 
find on the footpaths on Elephant road and near New Market. Shirts, probably 
*better* than what I can find in my college town in Texas, sell for 80-130 
taka. Buying trousers is more tricky because there are no trial rooms around.
Just choose your pick from from brands otherwise found in Foley's, Macy's, 
Dillard's etc. In confectionaries, coke is is now available in cans (15 taka) 
and one liter bottles (umpteen taka)

	Parabolic antennas are sprouting out from rooftops with increasing 
frequency. It costs about 50,000 taka to have one installed in your home. BTV 
was promising to start showing CNN in the mornings, but that materialized months
after their deadlines. We also have some new Natoks (of dubious entertainment 
value) of which Humayun Ahmed's are still the favourite. However, some 
complaints are overheard that now that he is churning out books and natoks en 
masse, their quality has been compromised slightly. It was overheard that Runa 
Laila is now married to a British subject. 

Shahriar Khan
Texas A&M University
	
	
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bangladesh