Bangladesh: A Very Long Day, Part 4 (Chittagong)


At past 2:00 PM, we arrived in the port city of Chittagong. The train depot was abuzz with activity, people loading and unloading, we joined in the mad rush to get out of the platform area and into the station itself. I didn't even have time to enjoy the view. Yes, it took 6 hours long to travel from point A to B.

My husband and BIL left us inside the station to look for rental van. Here, when you rent a car/van, the driver comes with it. You won't believe how much that was deeply appreciated later on.

When the accounts were settled, we set forth for the next leg of the journey to Cox Bazar. It was my understanding that from Chittagong, it was another 2 hours. Yet, it took us 5 hours to go from point B to C. There was traffic jam involved. While the car was maneuvering in and out of traffic jam so it could leave the town and head onto the highway, I was busy shooting.

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Typical street scene.

We were stopped a long time at one point, where the traffic completely halted. Nothing else to do but watch what's going on in the streets. I spotted men hard at work, kids too young to work doing backbreaking jobs.

Bricks that do not make the grade for construction are broken down and then made into bricks again.

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Yes I know this is child labor. This boy should be in school, but the reality is he is not working for a big corporation making your electronic gadget for 2 cents an hour. The reality is he is helping his family put food on the table. Just to meet the basic needs. Until there is equal distribution of food (wealth comes later) in this world, we will continue to witness scenes like this.

For whatever it's worth, I watched him for a long time. He seemed very happy, joking around with the two older men, and there is genuine happiness in the boy's eyes.

As we were driving out of the jam, I was happy to see some of the activities by the port/water.

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Fixing fishing nets

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Hygiene is important.

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Brother golden hair.

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Loading

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Busy colorful.

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Bridge out of the busy port city.

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Country road.

I was specially thankful that the van we rented came with a driver, because our dark came too soon. We hit every imaginable pothole there was. But my nephew was in such a good mood that he encouraged us all to imagine we were in a park ride whenever we hit a pothole. The trip was more enjoyable then. Not much later, the rain came down heavy. It was dark, raining heavily, and the road was less than rosy. Thank God someone else was driving, someone who knew the way like the back of his hand.

Except for a brief stop for food, we rode for five hours until we reached Cox Bazar in darkness, but could feel and smell the salt sea breeze.

(All images are drive by shots.)

OUR WORLD TUESDAY.

Comments

  1. You really took advantage of the traffic jam. The shots are all fantastic. Thank you for showing us this part of the world through your camera.

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  2. potholes= lubak= manila.
    so yeah, i'm sort of used to it. ^0^
    sorry for the hiatus.
    i miss reading your adventures and
    of course your India galore.
    you simply don't need explanations with such vivid captures.

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  3. The thing is, your drive-by shots are wonderful, Maria, and tell such a story we'd never see otherwise. THANK YOU.

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  4. It's fortunate your car came with a driver .... SO many people.
    Thank you for sharing from a very different corner of the world.

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  6. Great tour!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  7. Thank you for this post!
    We are living here five months in the middle of snow and frosts but our children can just be in their schools and after that play by their phones, play stations etc. .
    They are free and very lazy many times and they can not appreciate their good lives because they do not know other kind of life - they and we all should know more!

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  8. Wow! I have never been to Bangladesh. Great to see what it is like there.

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  9. Wonderful shots of hard day in the life.

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  10. Your photos make me feel as if I'd been along on your long drive (but it was a lot easier on me!). Third world countries can make me very sad, but it is better to know about it than shut our eyes.

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  11. A very informative, and a very moving post for the day! Thank you for sharing! Your photos are awesome!! Pictures and words like these should help all of us appreciate our world.

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  12. A very informative, and a very moving post for the day! Thank you for sharing! Your photos are awesome!! Pictures and words like these should help all of us appreciate our world.

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  13. These are stunning photos.
    Thanks for sharing from this part of the world.

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  14. Thank you very much for this interesting journey into what feels to be a universe of its own.

    robert geiß

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  15. Awesome shots, I love all the people and scenery. What a cool trip! Thanks for sharing, have a great week!

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  16. Great captures from Bangladesh. Looks like tough life for some there.

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  17. The discomforts will soon be forgotten but the sights, smells and sounds you will be able to fest on for a long, long time.
    Great little travel story.

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  18. Fantastic captures! I really enjoyed this daily life series.

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  19. You captured such fascinating human activities.

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  20. What a different way of life! Great shots.

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  21. These look so much like the Philippines, it's sad.

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  22. Sometimes it is hard to see reality, isn't it? Whenever I see photos like these, I cannot help feeling life is unfair, and fortune is unbalanced in the world. Your photos are great and I love them all. Thank you so much for sharing.
    keiko

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  23. Just stunning photos and amazing reportage as always!
    I think I will never visit this part of the world... I have a wonderful travel vicarious with you.
    Thanks for sharing from this part of the world.

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