The Beautiful Bangladesh

[The Ronin]

https://www.facebook.com/reuterspictures/posts/3394399253983940

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

https://www.facebook.com/108795794153547/posts/180044230362036

Sitakundu, Chittagong

 

[SpaceMan18]

https://www.facebook.com/108795794153547/posts/180044230362036

Sitakundu, Chittagong

If Bangaldeshi leaders cared about their own kind and country , the whole country could have looked like Switzerland and or Korea.

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Sajek Valley, Rangamati, Chittagong

 

[SpaceMan18]

Sajek Valley, Rangamati, Chittagong

This is indeed a Bangaldeshi moment

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Jadukata river of Sunamganj.

An Eid prayer in Dinajpur.

Handicraft yarn.

Fishing Scene Bogura

Dunno, Looks interesting to me so....

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Shiv Mandir, Puthia Rajbari, Rajshahi

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Chattogram/chittagong city

 

[KurtisBrian]

Beautiful nature. Amazing that SO many people can live in a place and yet nature still thrive. Bangladeshis should be more worried about keeping outsiders AWAY than the fact foreign nations don't allow Bangladeshi people visa free entry.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

A very good vlog of Cox's Bazar tour.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Beautiful nature. Amazing that SO many people can live in a place and yet nature still thrive. Bangladeshis should be more worried about keeping outsiders AWAY than the fact foreign nations don't allow Bangladeshi people visa free entry.

If fact population density is not a spoiler for natural beauty if managed properly. Think about Bali, Indonesia, It is such a beautiful and well managed island that nobody would think it is overpopulated, yet 750 people live that mountainous island in per square kilometer. Bangladesh's population density is 1100/sq. km. But Bangladesh is 88 percent flat, fertile land, only 12 percent hilly and mountainous. For this reason, outside of major urban centers(such as Dhaka, chattogram etc. which are unplanned and disorganized) population is spread out evenly over whole country and don't feel congested.

 

[Ahmad Saleem]

Sylhet Tea gardens are the winner

 

[Bilal9]

Sylhet Tea gardens are the winner

There are tea gardens in Chittagong, Mymensingh and all over North Bengal as well, but of course not as much as Sylhet.

 

[peagle]

Middle class (even most Upper Class) lives in city apartments brother. Single-family housing is reserved only for the very rich. In the villages, there are single family houses though.

Apts. range in price, depending on area and luxury of course. Land prices are at a premium, so building up, rather than sideways is the trend nowadays.

This is a typical luxury apartment project.
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Striking and Refined- Northern Lights by Shanta Holdings – Architect Column

Situated at a calm and serene block of North Gulshan, the residential building Northern Lights celebrates the vogue of artsy living; where art incites euphoria and inspiration. The project is a development by Shanta Holdings Ltd,and is designed by architect Nahas Ahmed Khalil and his studio team ARC Architectural Consultants.

The project is a tasteful projection of both earthy aesthetics and modernity. Built on a plot of approximately 30 kathas, the apartment strives amid lush greenery. When designing this luxurious residential building, architect Khalil and Shanta also sought to create a sustainable development that would contribute towards a more compact city. With this in mind, the design team reflects and sets strategies of compactness and diversification, all the while highlighting local techniques. By considering the context, the design provides a multi-program that responds sensitively using artisan materials, sustainable urban scales and dynamic ways of living. As seen in most of Khalil’s works, this project is also primarily constructed in concrete, and also showcases shades of brick and wood throughout its interiors and exteriors. The architect decides to render most of his work with brick and fair face concrete, primarily because the materials are sustainable, environment-friendly and low maintenance. Moreover,they alsoinherit local and traditional significance.

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The thirteen-storied building delivers twenty-two apartment units. Designed from the inside out, each apartment is functionally planned to make the most of the views while maximizing user comfort. Straight and pure lines, simple forms, wide opening views and huge volumes with lots of natural light, minimize the distance between the indoor and outdoor. While the muted painted walls and light floors finish off the interior, reflect the daylight all over the spaces and extinguish the compactness while making a tranquil, spacious dwelling. Without clear boundaries, the integration of the public and private areas reveals a sequence of spaces combining expansiveness and symbiosis. The interior is clear of any unnecessary obstructions, creating another dimension while helping to achieve a calm repose with minimalistic furniture and becoming fluid, complemented with high quality finishing materials and colorful paintings that enrich its liveliness. The building tells a narrative about its owners and their lifestyles. The spaces for the family and close friends are warm and interactive and the connection with nature is constant.

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The residential complex also includes a selection of soothing common spaces and modern lifestyle amenities for the residents, a feature of all Shanta projects. A sophisticated reception lobby, lush landscaping and attractive water features, an elegantly furnished community lounge, a fitness centre, a swimming pool, a covered outdoor recreational areaand a rooftop garden have been designed for residents to socialize effortlessly, explore their creativity and nurture wellbeing.The grandeur of the double-height ground floor area as well is sure to leave anyone spellbound upon entry. The roof is designed as a terrace for multipurpose activities, it’s an ideal platform to spend the evening under the mutable sky providing an obstruction-free view to the eyes and mind.

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Architect Khalil’s projection is simple, but simultaneously, one that makes a statement. His sensitive and restrained use of building materials tells richly complex architectural stories that elude simple classifications. “In search of an honest and careful architecture, we paid special attention to details, to the chosen materiality and the actors in the project processes.Our priority was to develop every constructive detail achieving optimal solutions that exceed the possibilities of the strictly conventional. The finished construction, as a result, is the witness and reflection of a careful process”, the firm adds.

Nahas Ahmed Khalil is an eminent Bangladeshi architect, urban planner and educator. He received his bachelor of architecture degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 1982.After graduating he worked as an assistant architect at CAPE under Architect Raziul Ahsan for some years and later founded his own architectural firm ARC Architectural Consultants. His major works include Osban House, Matir Bari, Shanta Chandralok, Shanta Akash Prodeep, Rashid Eye Hospital, Bengal Bangshibari, among others.

Developer Profile
Shanta Holdings Ltd. is a leading real estate developer of Bangladesh, developing iconic residential and commercial buildings in prime locations of Dhaka city. Shanta’s works are renowned for their aesthetic beauty, modern lifestyle amenities, safety, functionality and high-quality construction. Some of its notable projects are Shanta Western Tower, The Glass House, Shanta Skymark, Digonto and The Vantage. Shanta is also the only Superbrand 2018-19 in the real estate sector of the country, signifying its brand position and solid reputation in the market.

Has it always been like this, the trend for apartments, or is it a recent thing, with the growth of population?

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Dhaka - Mawa - Bhanga interchange

Yet another mesmerising contrast of mammoth infrastructure and nature.

Green marshlands meet concrete and steel.


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Faridpur

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Rural Bangladesh; raw and serene.

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Traditional 'Nouka' boat, handmade with wood, twines, Bamboo and nails among other things.

Plying the waterways of Bengal for centuries, enabling commerce, travel alongside providing for self employment prospects in rural areas.

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Children attempting to balance themselves on Bamboo sticks near the river bank.

You haven't seen brave children, If you haven't seen fearless Bangladeshi 2nd grades jump off bridges and into the many treacherous rivers of Bangladesh. Fret not, they are expert swimmers.

Cool off, impress your friends, take a shower and have fun all in one.

One dip before school and one on the way back from school.

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Just a beautiful picture.

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A smaller, flatter variant of the 'nouka' used to navigate the more calmer waterways.

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Launch Terminal in Barishal, these launches are very popular with the lower class and the lower middle working class folks of Bangladesh.

Cheap, Comfortable, Widely available with convenient routes.

Their popularity surges during the period before religious holidays when working people leave the city to enjoy the holidays with the families back in their respective villages.

Fun Fact : While the world 'Desh' literally translates to 'Country' or 'Nation', they have a different application other than when referring to Bangladesh.

One's hometown is also termed as 'Desh', as such people often saying 'Desher Bari', literally meaning hometown.


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A mosque in Barishal, surrounded by lush greener as far as the eye can see.

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Some nice clicks of a traditional river 'hat' or market.

In many parts of rural Bangladesh, such 'Bazaars' are setup on a weekly basis, customers come on foot or on their own noukas and merchants who are often the farmers themselves come with their goods loaded onto their noukas.

It's fresh, unadulterated, fairly priced and most importantly convenient for the rural populace.

Here you can also see an example of how these simple, primitive looking Noukas help in employment generation.


That's all for today, hopefully you learnt something new about Bangladesh.

I love those boats, looks like a peaceful lifestyle. What are they called?