Tangents
Riding <i>the Critical Mass</i>
Critical Mass Bicyclists. Photo: Ihtisham Kabir
This sleepy Friday morning's calm is broken by an energetic crowd gathered in front of Parliament. Many wear helmets and all have bicycles. They are here for a Critical Mass bicycle ride. Critical Mass started as a group bicycle ride in San Francisco in 1992. It has now spread to 300 cities worldwide. While raising awareness of bicycle transportation, it offers bicyclists an opportunity to enjoy camaraderie while riding. This is the third Critical Mass in Dhaka, where interest in bicycling is increasing due to unbearable traffic. It is organised by a variety of cycling groups. Volunteers with megaphones, who have the difficult job of managing the crowd, issue instructions in Bangla and English. I scan the crowd: over 200 men, women and children, tall and short, thin and fat, native and foreign, with one thing in common - they like bicycling. This is neither a race nor an endurance feat and anyone comfortable riding a bicycle can join. Today's route will take us into Dhanmandi, back out to Mirpur Road near Kalabagan, then to Panthapath, Tejgaon, Gulshan 1 and 2 and back to Manik Mia Avenue. Leading the pack is a rickshaw-van with two drummers playing dhols. The drummers sport long sticks on their fingers - resembling talons - to strike their dhols. Celebration is palpable in the air. Turning into Road 28 from 27, the riders break into smaller groups, separated by normal traffic: cars, rickshaws, CNGs. Organisers use their megaphones to exhort the cyclists to stay on their left, leaving the right lane open for traffic. This works most of the time, but not on narrower lanes such as the Dhanmandi bridge. The group pauses in front of Bashundhara City mall so everyone can catch up. The drummers break out into a catchy rhythm enticing some cyclists to dance a quick jig. A second break is forced near Karwan Bazar railway crossing when some bicyclists are caught behind the railgate as a train passes. As the group resumes riding, I race ahead to take my photos. Near the T intersection with Moghbazar road, I climb on the traffic island for a better view. A puzzled but irritated policeman rushes from across the street and stops me. “What is this rally?” he asks. I ignore him, having only a few seconds to take my pictures. “No no, you must tell me, what group is this?” he insists. “Cyclists... no political motive,” I assure him. He backs off. I race ahead searching for pictures. The wind feels good on my face. We follow the road towards Gulshan, stopping for another break in front of Azad Masjid. The group turns into the Masjid compound for a group portrait. Waiting, I meet cyclists from USA, Estonia, Austria, Bhutan, Germany, India, Canada, France, Rwanda and Australia. Doubtless I have missed other nationalities. Bicycling has many benefits: it is green and fun, provides good exercise and takes less space than cars. But do we have the will to deploy bicycles en-masse, everyday, in Dhaka?
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