The January morning chill had given the narrow lane of Dinanath Sen Road in Gendaria a lazy and tranquil feel.

Living in Dhaka, one rarely expects encounters with wildlife, especially monkeys. However, my home at Shahjadpur, beside an enormous mango tree, became the stage for a rather unusual drama involving a lone monkey!

Gendaria, a neighbourhood in Old Dhaka, once known for its spacious roads and European style colonial buildings, has lost much of its grandeur.