A walk on the wild side - the very interesting 'street plazas' of Dhaka

A walk on the wild side - the very interesting 'street plazas' of Dhaka

Faizul Khan Tanim took a stroll down the road in Gulshan and Banani to discover the thriving street life and finds quite a few bargains and deals on offer

Street life in Asia is always vibrant and alive, step out on the streets of most countries and you will see life is lived to the fullest on the roadside. Dhaka is no different; here one can find some of the most amazing sights and scenes as well as steals (pun intended). It is vivid, colourful, noisy, stinky but there are quite a few tantalising smells. This bustling and heaving city will show you scenes that are worth capturing on film, a photograoher’s delight and a bargain hunter’s haven. We bring a snap shot of just one stretch of road, along the Gulshan and Banani main roads, where the contrasting realities can not be resisted. We found the rich and the not so rich living side by side, albeit in separate worlds. Which is not to say their paths do not cross, it is not uncommon to find the well-off coming down from their high rise offices to taste the street food, or the elegant ladies who love the flavour of the roads, even if it is enjoyed from the comfort of their air-conditioned cars.

The stalls and markets that appear on the streets of Dhaka everyday and seem to magically disappear at night are affectionately called street plazas by those who venture in their midst to find amazing thrills. Such is the beauty of this city. So what can one find for sale at the street plazas, you may wander, other then rip offs and water-bourne disease, well for those who like a bargain or two, the shops are not the place to make purchases, when there are brands to be found just across.

My favourite is the great array of export quality jeans that are sold in the shops internationally for prices beyond the means of the man on the street, and in local shops with price tags that are not exactly cheap, but on the street you can find them (with few faults and missed stitches or missing buttons) for as little as Tk 250, or you may need formal trousers to wear to work, then how about a pair of slim fit pin-stripe trousers for Tk 220, a perfect striped shirt is yours for Tk 200, forget Apex, Bata or any of the big names, look across and you’ll find the same export quality shoes for as little as Tk 600 and the most expensive pair is Tk 1000, shoes and sandals (with a few easily ignored faults if you are not picky), there is leather as well as rexin to choose from, that you can buy for Tk 200! Sounds tempting?

If you are wondering where you can find these amazing deals then let me tell you my secret, you can find them all on various places across the city, but if you are reluctant to go far from your comfort zone, and the Tri-State, then look no further then the seemingly endless stretch of road that begins down Gulshan Avenue, from Gulshan 1 to 2, and all the way down Banani’s Kemal Ataturk Avenue to Kakoli’r Mor. This stretch is my beloved shopping mall, the street plaza where I find the best deals in town, from clothes to accessories.

On Kemal Ataturk Avenue, I find Shoikat Ahmed 24 years old and a student checking out shirts and trouser fabric pieces that are Tk 150 per metre, he stated, “Why would I spend double or triple the price when I can get it for less here? It won’t have many faults so I think they are ideal.” Sometimes you may even find a great surprise and an unbelievable deal; I have found many hidden treasures such as a super brand that would cost thousands in the shops while I rummaged through the belts, shorts, t-shirts, jeans and other stuff. So don’t be shy keep digging deeper and you are sure to find something worthwhile in one of the cartons. Office executive Najmul Ahmed agrees, “Not only are these affordable but some are good brands. I just bought two pin stripe trousers and the brands are quite chic – Dressmann and Michael Brandon slim fits!”

If you are not interested in the fancy threads, then perhaps I can entice you on to the road with some delicious treats? Of course, the roads are lined with vendors selling seasonal fruits, and the street food that makes Dhaka so special. Jhalmuri, chotpoti, fuchka, chanachur, shingara, noodles, and with Ramzan coming up, mouth watering Iftar items. You do need a strong stomach and must be able to ignore the dust and the dirt to enjoy these tasty, crispy, delicacies of Dhaka. “The food is to die for. Munchies like bot bhaja, parathas, kababs and fresh sugarcane juice are available every few yards and the aroma assures you of the fantastic taste. You might gain a few extra pounds though.” Giggles a very happy man as he enjoys the delicacies of Dhaka.

Friendly vendors with amusing sales pitches will draw you to their stalls, and you must be ready to give them the joy of a good haggle. You don’t have to travel all the way to Bangabazaar for the export quality ready made garments products, they are all available right within your reach, take a look beyond your tinted car windows and see for yourself.