AUTHOR - ADVENTURER - ADVOCATE
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh is located in South Asia. Dhaka is the capitol. It is the most densely populated country in the world, ranking 8th in the world in population, in a very small space, 1/10 the size of the state of Alaska. Approximately 3,000 people live in a square mile. Luckily, Bangladeshi people are very social. They enjoy being around large numbers of friends and family at all times. "Alone time" is not something Bangladeshi's seek or could easily find.
The country is covered in approximately 700 river waterways. The soil is very fertile along the banks, so many people live as farmers along the rivers. Rice is the primary crop. Most meals include rice and curried vegetables, fish or chicken. Every year, the rivers flood during monsoon season when up to 60 inches of rain falls. Rural families, living near the rivers, secure boards in their rafters. Families may live entirely on these wooden beams for a month or more until the floods recede. This creates dangers of drowning for young children. In some areas, informal schools are set up in buildings on stilts and the children are ferried there by boats, giving them a safe space to learn and play with friends.
Bangladesh is the only country in the world formed on the basis of language and ethnicity. It became known as East Pakistan after India was partitioned in 1947. Later a war of Independence was fought with Pakistan and Bangladesh became an Independent country in 1971. The people predominantly worship Islam and speak Bangla. The country borders India on three sides. It shares a small border with Myanmar along the south and a large area along the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladeshi Girl with Rose.
Scenes from Bangladesh
How do people in Bangladesh cross 700 waterways? Villagers build bridges and operate ferry boats such as the one mentioned in the story. Children in rural villages use the rickety bridges and ferryboats to get to school. I snapped these photos on my way to work with village preschools.
Sharing umbrellas on a rainy ferry boat ride.
Sometimes the ferry boats get stuck in duckweed.
It is challenging to walk on these twig bridges.
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Village riverbank.
Small shops as pictured above and to the right resemble places where Fayaz was kidnapped.
I often saw rickshaw traffic jams like these.
Village scene.
Nadiha dreamed of painting colorful rickshaws like this one.
Schools
Some children are fortunate to attend Non-Formal Elementary Schools.
Preschool children playing games.
Middle schools are very crowded.
Preschool teachers help their children learn through play.
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The novel character, Bashar, is modeled after our friend Bashar, a kind and clever man, who helped our family to navigate and love Bangladesh. Here he is pictured with his family and the author.
Eglal's ABC School, mentioned in the story.
Meal time at the ABC School.
Urban apartment building, much like the place Nadiha would have worked.
The scene where Beau's dad goes to check on the building of his riverboat, used for outings and picnics with friends, may have looked like the boat that the author's family had built. The Llewellyn family had as much fun visiting the village where it was being built as riding on the boat when it was finished.