Last Post from Bangladesh

This will probably be my last post from here, as we are leaving for the airport tomorrow afternoon. The past two days in Dhaka have been eventful. Last night we went to a dinner party at the home of the Vice Chancellor of the Independent University of Bangladesh. We figured that we would be treated to a nice meal in an apartment with the Vice Chancellor and his wife, but upon getting there we saw that the event was much bigger than we could have dreamed. We walked through a gate to a lavish party attended by many of the most important businessmen and politicians of Dhaka, as well as many professors from the IUB. There was an arc of tables laden with traditional food, including freshly barbecued kebabs, sizzling nan bread, battered and fried chickpea pockets, the Indian yogurt drink lassi, and numerous beef dishes. I talked with a Korean businessman in the garment industry and the chief lawyer for the current ruling party in Bangladesh. The lawyer gave some really interesting perspectives on political issues given that I've already talked to rural villagers and local politicians about the same issues. For example, while the union council chairman said that the prime minister is selling Bangladesh to India by allowing India to freely use its ports, the lawyer said that Bangladesh is following a precedent set by the port cities of Antwerp and Rotterdam in allowing access to its ports in exchange for payment, and that it is a very beneficial practice for Bangladesh. I had a good time at this decidedly posh event. This morning we went shopping at a mall in Dhaka packed with cheap clothing, entertainment, and food. Something is very gratifying about spending a lot of bills that say 1000 on them, even if they're only worth a little over $10. For dinner today we went to an up-scale restaurant that, while being a very classy joint, offers entrees for an average of $6. The food was delicious, and leaves me thoroughly satisfied with the regional cuisine. I'm now trying to get over a runny nose and getting ready to leave tomorrow. It's been great! Thanks for following.