I have a friend named Shehzeen who is Bangladeshi, who I met through another Bangladeshi friend. Because, once you have one Bangladeshi friend, you have at least five or six.
Since I’ve become friends with Bangladeshis, my knowledge about the country has gone from zero to sixty in three seconds. I’m sure their knowledge of drunk Yeltsin has also been enriched. One of the things I didn’t know, for example, is that Bangladesh has about 150 million people, the same as Russia, in an area slightly smaller than Iowa, making it the most densely populated country outside of my freshman dorm room in college. How do 150 million people live in a country that constantly keeps getting flooded due to the fact that it is on a river delta, and one that was once a part of Pakistan, over 1,000 miles away? Not as bad as you would think, because it’s been identified as one of the Next Eleven, countries that have the potential to become the world’s largest economies after the BRICs. Still, the majority of Bangladesh is poor.
I’ve found that most immigrants that came to their new country when they were children, not just former Eastern Europeans, have an intense longing for their homeland and, ultimately, many go back for at least a couple weeks to rediscover what, up to this point, has just been a country in their memories and that of their relatives. Shehzeen, who is a Writer (with a capital W because she has a Master’s in Creative Writing,) also went back last month to reunite with family and to gather some inspiration for her book. She and her sister took these pictures, and, graciously agreed to let me post some.
Just looking at them makes me feel homesick for Bangladesh, a place I’ve never been, and all of its third-world, grimy, earthy, ethereal beauty. Bangladesh, to me, as reflected by the memories and personal beliefs of my friends, is a place of extreme, extreme poverty, of mud, of bad healthcare. Of colorful saris, of sauces mixed with basmati rice and eaten with a cupped hand, of fresh fish, and of endless rivers.
Shehzeen, if you don’t write a book after lounging around and taking these beautiful pictures, I’m going to MAKE you. Because, damn, girl. Enjoy.
On the way to her native town of Sylhet, Bangladesh:
After a rain in Dhaka:
In the water:
On the way to Gulistan, Dhaka:
Making flowers for passers-by:
With relatives:
Mosque in Sylhet:
Going home after work in Sylhet:
Mother tongue:
Just another day:
The country from above, the airplane shot that makes your heart leap (I had one like this when we were flying over Russia), the one where you feel your country:
Portrait of the Author as a Young Lady:
Beautiful post and pictures. Believe it or not – I have my own Bangladesh story ( I have a Cuba story as well) ; I don’t remember if I told you before. If I did not – I will
Love, Mom.
I enjoyed your story. Thanks, Mom
love the pix!
Toda!
Amazing pics…….Inshalla one day I’ll visit myself
Thank you… And great post, Vicki. You inspire me to write
ps. I’m still a young lady!
No, thank YOU for your pictures. And yes, you are still a young lady.
Now if only I could say I know an Author…. 
Inshaallah. you will.
Great pics.
I only know a few things about Bangladesh one of which is the inspiring story of Mohammed Yunus (winner of the Nobel Peace prize for his work with the poor). He was one of the pioneers of microcredit who started Grameen Bank — which provides small business loans to poor people regular institutions won’t lend to. 90% of their customers are women and contrary to his naysayers the delinquency and default rate is negligible. So looks like at least something positive’s happening there which is why Bangladesh is a place to watch out for economically.
I think I can see the intense struggle for better living conditions in the “Just another day” pic — the man has some very strong almost grim determination on his whole body.
Thanks so much for your commetns. Yup, Mohammad Yunus is a big deal in Bangladesh/microfinance. In fact, one of my friend’s sisters interned at the Grameen Bank in Dhaka and boy does she have some stories about some of the iniquities that people don’t often hear about.
And that pic is one of my faves. I think all of them are, from the hundreds Shehzeen took.
VICKI!!! Oh My God! This is beautiful! And you didn’t tell me that you wrote this. I had to get this link from shez’s facebook? I see how it is!
i’m so glad I introduced you to bangladesh (yes i like to feel special and point out that the ‘friend’ is ME!) 
I love your writing. Bangladesh is my jaan and amidst the poverty, people there never forget to put a smile on their face on ‘just another day.’ And may I dare add that the streets of dhaka is very politically conscious (rickshawalas know who Nancy Pelosi is!) I know i’m biased being Bangladeshi and all, but I’ve never experienced the spirit and the livelihood of a country anywhere else in the world! 
Thank you darling for writing this beautiful piece!
Thank you for being Bangladeshi.
Love you.
Dear Vicky, I found your writing in Sabah’s FB profile..and i found it very beautiful. I lived in the states for nearly about 12 years..and came back to settle down in Dhaka few years back. you can tell…i have always been an inspired human being.. but interestingly, you have inspired me in a very different way. if you dont mind, i would like to invite you to my wedding in December, only if you can buy a plane ticket…we will take care of the rest:-). you seem to be a wonderful person…and it would be nice if you can make it:-)
just to note: I always had and still have this strange fascination towards russia… there was a time i began writing a novel, and i had to have a russian girl (i named her Tatiana) as the best friend of my main character:-)
and by the way: rikshawalas here dont know aobut Nancy pelosi!… Sabah sometimes likes to get carried away;-)
love,
Maha
Maha,
I can’t tell you how honored I am that you took the time to read, and that you invited me!! Obviously, we will try our best to make it. I really, really want to go and from everything Sabah’s been telling me about the wedding, its ounds like it’s going to be fabulous.
API, the rickshawala I spoke to you knew! OK maybe not all, but everyone knows atleast the last 3 presidents of USA! (I do get carried away! but vicki you know that)
Vicki, you have been graced by api’s presence…she doesn’t even write on my wall!
You guys are so fab.
Ah, I was reading your story and thinking – your pals have to be Sylhetis – and voila! They are Sylhetis! I think most emigres from Bangladesh are from that district. A most enterprising bunch of folks. We have lots of them in London. They run restaurants. Their remittances back home power an economy in Sylhet that is, I hear, much more developed than the rest of the country. Cool!
This is what I hear, as well. Although a bunch of them are also from Dhaka, so I’m not sure where this leaves us. RE: London. I’ve been meaning to read Brick Lane by Monica Ali to get a sense of the Bangladeshi community there. The restaurants already are sounding good.
You know, I found Tarquin Hall’s ‘Salaam Brick Lane’ much better written (it is non-fiction, however); but yeah, if you do read both, pls. do write up a comparative review!
F’eanor, I am Sylheti
me supported
The image is very beautiful . I like the picture. Thanks for picture collection team.