The city we had
The difference between the two is heaven and earth. About 80% of the city dwellers do not have any idea about the provincial capital Dacca. Months ago I came back to Dhaka from Houston, Texas. It is said that Sugarland is heaven on earth. I do not think it will be out of place to mention Sugarland is what Dacca used to be 40 years ago. Dhaka has gone back many years behind Dacca. The decline began 40 years ago and is still on.
There is a road between Shahbagh and Jahangir Gate used to be known as Airport Road. There was a Fountain at Shahbagh and the road divider was full of Flame Trees (Krishnachuras). During full bloom it looked magnificent. All most all the roads in Sugarland, Texas, reminds me of those lost days. There was a big tree in front of the Farm Gate Police Box, a lost sight to behold. The invading Pakistani Army chopped down the tree making it easy for the commercial entrepreneurs to build their high-rise buildings.
The Ganny's Departmental opposite GPO reminds me of all the big chain stores in the United States. Volume-wise it is not even a portion of Walmart or Sams Club but the concept was the same. There was a big water body where now stands Basundhara Shopping Complex resulting in flooding with a little rain. Not only this, all most all the ponds and canals have been filled to construct high rise buildings and apartments causing immense sufferings to the city dwellers.
The water supplied by Dacca Wasa used to be one of the best source of drinking water in the world, now it is exactly the opposite. People coming from abroad are warned by their respective missions in Bangladesh not to drink Dhaka water as a precaution against sickness. The volume of water supplied was much more than what was required compared to today's scanty supply of water and the people were not forced to demonstrate with empty pitchers for water in the streets of Dacca. It used to take only 10 minutes to cover the distance by a car, which now takes 2 hours or even more. In the 1960's double decker buses were introduced on the streets of Dacca.
While a student of Shaheen School, quite often I used to take a fun ride back home on those double decker buses for only 10 paisas.
Many of us must have forgotten by now that there used be a race course at the Suhrawardy Udyan and the people used to enjoy horse race during their leisure time. It is now a story of the by-gone days.
The King of the jungle and his cohorts are parading the streets of Dhaka on million dollar vehicles without being concerned about the inevitable.
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