Chittagong - first impressions

Even in the drive from the airport to my new apartment I could tell I’m going to like this city.

First sign: Rickshaws and CNGs (little 3-wheel motorized taxis fueled by “compressed natural gas”) rule the roads. There aren’t as many cars, trucks and buses, so rickshaws and CNGs seem much more abundant, and much safer to ride without the fear of being crushed. (On the other hand, putting your life in the hands of some of these drivers can still be scary - last night my CNG driver hit a man pretty hard in the arm while driving fast. I felt awful being involved in a hit and run.)

Second sign: It’s cooler here. The heat in Dhaka wasn’t bothering me too much anyway, but the consistent breeze here is glorious, especially at sunset on the rooftop, just above my flat.

Third sign: The city is smaller, so I actually stand a chance at getting to know it pretty well. Coming from a Maine town of about 1,000 people, I think I do better better in those types of cities that feel like big towns - like Boston, or DC… or Chicago one neighborhood at a time.

My flat:

I am blessed with a beautiful apartment. However, I’m pretty upset to have discovered that I’m living in a Jim Crow building. The sign out front - “TO LET - for Foreigners Only” - was the first hint. Yes it’s nice to have a flat with shiny floors and posh furniture, but in the end, the cockroaches are just as big as in any other building (I’ve killed several 2-inch long ones already). So why does the landlord insist on posting a sign at the elevator restricting all Bangladeshi workers from using it? A sign inside the elevator with building policies instructs us residents to actively enforce the rule barring our workers (maids and delivery persons) from taking the easy way up.

The men whom AUW contracted to deliver our water discovered yesterday that in order to get the heavy ten gallon jugs to us they would be required to climb the stairs instead of take the elevator… we live on the 9th floor! We told the men to leave the water inside with the guards downstairs and we’d go down to get them. We’ll have a lady come clean once a week, since it’s near impossible to keep up with the dust that the flat sucks in, and also it’s a valuable employment opportunity for women here. But again, nine floors up and nine floors down without a right to the elevator - it’s ridiculous. I’ve heard that AUW has had success in reforming some of these Jim Crow tendencies by tactfully putting pressure on authorities such as landlords…