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I was forewarned. Of the culture shock that I would inevitably experience in Bangladesh, a country that one will be forgiven if images of natural disasters and poverty are immediately conjured up in one’s mind. But being an ardent fan of the “true-to-life” adventure cum travel programme, Globe Trekker (formerly “Lonely Planet”) and consequentially, a self-proclaimed “seen that, been there, done that”, I subconsciously dismissed the paranoia. Nevertheless, armed with a near carton of Malaysia’s staple food, Maggi Mee and a handful of muesli bars, I ventured out of my home sweet home to serve BRAC, the client who has been making strong inroads over the last few decades in developing Bangladesh, particularly in eliminating poverty and empowering the poor. |
| Upon arrival in Zia International Airport and getting my first taste of Bengali, the country’s national language, the Ernst & Young team was quickly whisked away to our place of accommodation in the wee hours of Sunday morning. After a respectable bed and breakfast the same morning, the team accompanied by a BRAC representative was driven in two 4WDs (which seemed to have experienced their fair share of adventure) to the BRAC Centre for Development Management in Rajendrapur where the planned training sessions would be held. An approximately one-hour drive traversing the city of Dhaka, several suburban and rural areas, this was when I truly had my first glimpse of the country. | |
| With a population of over 8.5 million, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is a fusion of colours, a hive of activities with hordes of people thronging every nook and corner of the city and a plethora of Hindi movie icons. Dhaka also boasts of “too many for comfort” aspiring Hollywood (or closer to home, Bollywood) stuntman (and woman) who would dash across the perpetually over-crowded streets chock-full of buses, rickshaws and cars, oblivious to the apparent danger around them. Drivers in Bangladesh must truly be the world's most skillful (or reckless depending on one’s perspective) as my nerves, knees and derriere were severely tested throughout the journey. But it was in the midst of the hectic landscape and flurry of activities set against the sweltering tropical heat that I came to discover the very beauty of the country and its people : their determination to live and appreciation for life’s simplest pleasures. Ironic but true. Time seemed to fly as I stayed engrossed with the unveiling spectacle around me, unaware that we have finally arrived at the training centre. Set against a strikingly lush environment, almost an antithesis of Dhaka, rural Bangladesh, where the training centre was located, felt relaxing and blissful. | |
| Five days and a pocketful of Bengali words later, I returned home charmed by the warmth of the Bangladeshis, astounded by their sheer resilience to make ends meet and most importantly, a re-affirmation of how fortunate we are as Malaysians to live in this blessed country. Suffice to say, it was truly a humbling experience. | |