Fulbright Experience from Bangladesh

January 30:
We visited some tourist’s places around Dhaka.

Balda Gardens: We visited the Baldha Gardens, one of the hidden gems of Dhaka, in Wari. This is a mini-version of a Botanical Garden. Baldha Gardens house about 15,000 plants and 672 species.  Many of these are rare and exotic plants from about 50 different countries. There is an orchid house, cactus house, and a greenhouse. However, we could not visit the orchid house because it was Saturday.

 The National Memorial:  This memorial represents the national pride. Large concrete structure and surrounding gardens commemorate the martyrs of the war of Independence. Over three million people sacrificed their lives for the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. This memorial was established in 1972.

Dhakeswari Temple:  This is the main Hindu temple in Dhaka, dating from the 12^th century. The temple is colorful.

We visited the Sitara Mosque. It is popularly known as the Star Mosque or Mirza Ghulam Pir’s Mosque. This picturesque mosque is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions because of its striking mosaic decoration of colored glass set in white tiles. The mosque dates from the early 18^th century. It was originally of the typical Mughal style with four corner towers. Around 50 years ago, when mosaic decoration became popular in Bengali buildings, a local businessman financed its redecoration with Japanese and English China ties and the addition of a new eastern verandah substantially alerting the overall structure.

Maharam (Ashura), January 30
The day is a public holiday. Our campus was closed. Various organizations arranged programs in observance of Ashura. Tazia procession by mourners is a main feature of the occasion. The holy Ashura was observed across the country on January 30 to commemorate the Karbana tragedy in which Hazrat Imam Hossain along with his family and followers embraced martyrdom.

On the tenth of Muharram, the fateful day, Muslims vent remorse over the martyrdom of Hazarat Immam Hossain, grandson of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), at the hands of renegades over 1300 years ago. While on a journey towards Kufa, Hazrat Immam Hossain, his family members and a number of his followers were killed by the forces of Yazid, son of Muslim ruler Mubia of that province. They were deprived of food and water, and many of them were put to death. Eventually, Imam Hossain was brutally slaughtered. The bizarre incident happened at Karbala in Iraq.

21 February – Shaheed Dibash & International Mother Language Day.
It is more popularly known in Bangladesh as Ekushey February which means 21 February. Prior to the declaration of Mother Language Day, Bangladeshis (people of Bangladesh) observed this tragic event as Martyrs' Day. This day is the recognition of  February 21, 1952 massacre of Dhaka University students who were gunned down as they protested the demand of West Pakistan for East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to give up Bangla (Bengali language) and speak Urdu (language for Pakistani’s). The twenty-first of February is also International Mother Language Day, created by UNESCO to bring people’s awareness to the importance of preserving the Bengali language.

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