Dhaka's Weekend Binge: A Sugar Rush Before the Crash?
The Illusion of Festivity
Dhaka's gearing up for a weekend blitz of activity – book launches, wellness festivals, street food orgies, and anime conventions. The headlines are all about "unforgettable community fun," but let's dial back the marketing spin for a second. A closer look reveals a city desperately trying to distract itself from some pretty grim realities.
The "Dhaka Flow Fest," presented by United Commercial Bank Ltd (UCB), promises movement, meditation, and creativity. Sounds great. But juxtapose that with the fact that Dhaka's air quality is consistently "unhealthy," ranking 11th worst globally on Friday morning, with an AQI of 161. (For context, anything above 150 is considered "unhealthy.") According to Dhaka continues to experience ‘unhealthy’ air quality, Dhaka is experiencing unhealthy air quality. So, you’re supposed to "celebrate the most vibrant wellness weekend" while simultaneously inhaling enough particulate matter to shave years off your life? I am not sure how deep breathing is going to help you with that.
And then there's the Street Food Festival. An "explosion of intense and varied flavours," they say. I am sure it is. But what about the explosion in onion prices? They have jumped from Tk 70 to Tk 120 per kilogram in a week. That’s a 71% increase. Suddenly, those pakoras (fritters) are a lot less appetizing when you realize how much of your paycheck they represent.
The Cracks Beneath the Surface
It’s not just the air and the cost of living. There's a deeper rot setting in. The article mentions Gen Z-led revolts toppling governments across India’s neighborhood. It is a trend. It is also worth noting that the piece cites India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who “correctly identified governance as a key factor in the toppling of governments in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka." You don't need to be Nostradamus to see where this is going.
The most alarming development, however, is the government's decision to cancel plans to hire PT and music teachers after threats from Islamist groups. The government claims it was due to "flaws in the development and feasibility of the programme," but that explanation rings hollow. It is more like a dog whistle to religious extremists. As one teacher put it, "A state cannot flourish through religion alone. Culture never opposes religion.”
I've looked at hundreds of these kinds of government press releases and policy reversals. I can't recall ever seeing one that so blatantly contradicts its stated goals. The Yunus government is accused of "kowtowing to religious extremists," and this decision only reinforces that perception. The government claims that new positions in schools would be carefully considered when the requisite funds would be available. So, where are the funds? And why is music and PT so easily discarded?
Consider the protests. Students and teachers from multiple universities are taking to the streets, singing the national anthem, forming human chains. These aren't just isolated incidents; they're symptoms of a much larger problem. The protesters are not just fighting for jobs; they're fighting for the soul of their nation.
A House of Cards
The Dhaka weekend sounds like a blast – if you ignore the toxic air, the skyrocketing food prices, and the creeping authoritarianism. It's like throwing a massive party in a house that's about to collapse. The question is, how long can the music drown out the sound of the foundation cracking? And what happens when the party's over?
Smoke and Mirrors
Dhaka's weekend binge feels less like a celebration and more like a desperate attempt to mask a deeper malaise. The data points to a city on the brink, where the pursuit of fleeting pleasures is overshadowed by systemic problems. The "unforgettable community fun" is just a sugar rush before the inevitable crash.