Aviation News: Can you remember the issue of The Guardian of November 4, 2013, where it had included Bangladesh as one of the top 40 tourist destinations of the world? To illustrate Bangla-desh, there was a picture of rickshaw in the desolate beach of Cox’s Bazaar.
Though rickshaw originated outside of Bangladesh, in Japan, the name of Bangladesh will strike the mind when people talk about rickshaws. In Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, thousands of rickshaws ply everyday on the streets.
Hence, Dhaka is called the “City of Rickshaws”, and this three-wheeler human-driven vehicle has such uniqueness that it reflects very much the lifestyle of Bangladesh_ the natural, non-machine and human touched_ as it can be.
A large part of the character of Dhaka city has always come from its rickshaws. Up to two passengers legitimately sit in the back. A hood may be pulled up in the event of rain or too much sun.
As it’s a non-machine vehicle, it doesn’t create smoke or any residual elements that can affect the environment badly.
The city dwellers prefer the rickshaw trip, if the distance is not too long.
They think it’s the best vehicle to cross the distance of less than 5 to 7 kilometres. As it’s an open non-machine vehicle, the passengers, usually, enjoys the trip because of having the chance of open air ride.
The rickshaw moves on, the wind passes gently by the passengers, and the whole atmosphere really refreshes their body and mind which is not possible in a suffocating and comparatively boring bus or other machine-riding vehicles.
The rickshaw-puller is a very known face in the society of Bangladesh. Without some exception, most of them are simple, amiable and friendly to the passengers. The sweating, lungi-clad rickshaw puller pedals while sitting on a plastic seat.
They are physically fit and habituated to hard work. Micheal Smith, a visitor from UK likes the rickshaw trip, when he visits Dhaka. He says, “We attempt so many things to keep ourselves fit. However, when we see the rickshaw-pullers, we find that it’s them who are fit without paying anything.”
Industrious by nature, the rickshaw-pullers also earn Tk 12,000 to Tk 18,000 per month, which is seemingly reasonable for earn living somehow, yet they are sometimes run short of money in time of financial urgency.
Rickshaw art, a special form of art, is applied at the rear of the rickshaw. Rickshaws and the artwork that adorn them exert tremendous fascination over many, especially foreigners, with an interest in all things ethno-chic.