Racing Now, In The Rickshaw Stakes!

The traffic in Dhaka is utter bedlam. As Working Dog called the capital city in their ficticious Travel Guide Phaic Tan, Bumpatabumpa! The empty strip of tarmac at the bottom is probably the most vacant in Dhaka at that time, but if you see behind the oncoming cavalry it is chaos. Never in all my travels have I seen, breathed, heard, and been jammed in traffic like that in Dhaka. There are reported to be over 100,000 Rickshaws (excluding 3-wheelers and taxis) in Dhaka and all travel a little bit slower than a pedestrian might on a day somewhat cooler than most in the Bangladesh capital. The wiry chap pedal pushing does have his work cut out, yet will follow you for a few hundred yards to earn the US$0.20c per kilomtre!

Luke Gillian 03/09/2005 05:32:53