Dear loved ones,
I am still fine, no problems since the Hartal (strike) started on Monday. I didn't go to work on Monday as we were advised the violence would make us targets. I have finally figured out what is going on, after hearing many mixed reports before the hartal started.
Apparently the Dhaka Stock Exchange has been plummeting, and they (the opposition party and their supporters across Bangladesh) are also protesting hikes in the prices of necessities, and shortages of water and electricity. There is also a lot of beef about a new airport the government wants to build which is apparently against national interests, although I'm not sure why- they have backed down from that plan so they were quite ticked that the opposition went ahead with their hartal. It has actually been fairly violent, I think one report said about 100 people have been injured in clashes with the police. Lots have been arrested, and there was a lot of vandalism at the march sites- mini-busses torched, windows broken, etc. It pretty much shut down the public transportation system, although the rickshaws were supposedly out in droves as always. Apparently a passenger bus was essentially destroyed in Mirpur, which is where I am, so I was quite happy to not be in the middle of it.
The government says it is a defamation campaign leading up the the Cricket World Cup starting on the 17th. As lots of people have already started coming to Dhaka for the matches (although their numbers hardly make a difference), they say it could seriously harm Bangladesh's image with so much international media coming to the area. I imagine there will be about zero domestic impact since cricket is to Bangladesh as hockey is to Canada, only multiply the population by a zillion.
I was looking at the Grand Prince hotel's website again a few days ago, and noticed that I was supposed to be getting the daily newspaper. Although I didn't raise it with the reception desk or even say anything about it in the hotel, I have been getting newspapers to my door for the last two days. Bizarre! I am happy about it because for some reason I really can't be bothered to go to the lobby to read their copy, but it does seem a very strange coincidence that the day after I noticed I wasn't getting what I was paying for it magically arrived. After a month of living here! It even has my room number on it. We'll see how long it lasts.
I have double-checked my registration on the Canadians Abroad website, just in case. I have also emailed the High Commission here in Bangladesh to see if there is anything I can get involved with over the next couple months. It just so happens that another Global Politics student's parents work for the High Commission in Dhaka, so I have emailed her mom as well. I will let you know what the fallout is!
In other news, I have finally successfully read the restaurant menu! I have been craving something Western, and I discovered that to get grilled chicken breast I need to ask for Chicken Steak. Not a chicken cutlet, which is deep fried and has green chillies and onion POUNDED into it. The chicken steak is delicious, juicy, and has a really nice (not spicy!) BBQ sauce on it. I had it twice yesterday, but I am going to hold off for awhile until I really need it again so I don't get sick of that, too. Chicken fried rice and beef chowmein are getting quite old, although I will never tire of the delicious butter naan. I typically only eat two meals a day, between 1 and 4 pm and again between 9 and 11. I usually have a Carnation Instant Breakfast with milk in my room in the mornings, although today I discovered that my milk had gone sour :( I am off to the bazaar downstairs now to stock up on water and milk, and maybe a small tin of sour cream and onion Pringles. We'll see if the mood strikes me.
That's it for now, just wanted you all to know the lowdown and that I'm alright. Onto my research proposal!
Love love.
I am still fine, no problems since the Hartal (strike) started on Monday. I didn't go to work on Monday as we were advised the violence would make us targets. I have finally figured out what is going on, after hearing many mixed reports before the hartal started.
Apparently the Dhaka Stock Exchange has been plummeting, and they (the opposition party and their supporters across Bangladesh) are also protesting hikes in the prices of necessities, and shortages of water and electricity. There is also a lot of beef about a new airport the government wants to build which is apparently against national interests, although I'm not sure why- they have backed down from that plan so they were quite ticked that the opposition went ahead with their hartal. It has actually been fairly violent, I think one report said about 100 people have been injured in clashes with the police. Lots have been arrested, and there was a lot of vandalism at the march sites- mini-busses torched, windows broken, etc. It pretty much shut down the public transportation system, although the rickshaws were supposedly out in droves as always. Apparently a passenger bus was essentially destroyed in Mirpur, which is where I am, so I was quite happy to not be in the middle of it.
The government says it is a defamation campaign leading up the the Cricket World Cup starting on the 17th. As lots of people have already started coming to Dhaka for the matches (although their numbers hardly make a difference), they say it could seriously harm Bangladesh's image with so much international media coming to the area. I imagine there will be about zero domestic impact since cricket is to Bangladesh as hockey is to Canada, only multiply the population by a zillion.
I was looking at the Grand Prince hotel's website again a few days ago, and noticed that I was supposed to be getting the daily newspaper. Although I didn't raise it with the reception desk or even say anything about it in the hotel, I have been getting newspapers to my door for the last two days. Bizarre! I am happy about it because for some reason I really can't be bothered to go to the lobby to read their copy, but it does seem a very strange coincidence that the day after I noticed I wasn't getting what I was paying for it magically arrived. After a month of living here! It even has my room number on it. We'll see how long it lasts.
I have double-checked my registration on the Canadians Abroad website, just in case. I have also emailed the High Commission here in Bangladesh to see if there is anything I can get involved with over the next couple months. It just so happens that another Global Politics student's parents work for the High Commission in Dhaka, so I have emailed her mom as well. I will let you know what the fallout is!
In other news, I have finally successfully read the restaurant menu! I have been craving something Western, and I discovered that to get grilled chicken breast I need to ask for Chicken Steak. Not a chicken cutlet, which is deep fried and has green chillies and onion POUNDED into it. The chicken steak is delicious, juicy, and has a really nice (not spicy!) BBQ sauce on it. I had it twice yesterday, but I am going to hold off for awhile until I really need it again so I don't get sick of that, too. Chicken fried rice and beef chowmein are getting quite old, although I will never tire of the delicious butter naan. I typically only eat two meals a day, between 1 and 4 pm and again between 9 and 11. I usually have a Carnation Instant Breakfast with milk in my room in the mornings, although today I discovered that my milk had gone sour :( I am off to the bazaar downstairs now to stock up on water and milk, and maybe a small tin of sour cream and onion Pringles. We'll see if the mood strikes me.
That's it for now, just wanted you all to know the lowdown and that I'm alright. Onto my research proposal!
Love love.
I reiterate: wear a helmet when going outside, plz. :) Crazy happenings!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you can still get Pringles there. Who said globalization was a bad thing? Haha.
I met up with Anne-Marie for brunch today and she was like, "Lesley is so ballsy. I could never do that. That is so cool." You impressive wonderwoman, you!