Heart-breaking Bangladesh

On the first week of April '07 I went to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh for a couple of days. My colleagues already warned me of what I was supposed to see there, but I didn't realise it until I faced the horrible reality. You can not know what poverty is until you have seen and felt it.

After walking for two hours on the streets of Dhaka, I returned to my hotel room unable to articulate a word. Every night I thought of all those who were out there, fighting to survive, looking for clothes or a small piece of food among the rubbish, while I was comfortably seating in my "luxurious" hotel room. The feeling of guilt and unfairness has invaded my soul for two long days. I must admit that every night, few tears dropped from my eyes...

The pictures I have selected to show you may not give you the most accurate impression of the poverty in Dhaka. But try to imagine a whole city filled with nauseating rubbish smells, kids working, skinny people and naked kids looking for food in the rubbish.

Besides all that, I was nevertheless amazed by the friendliness of Bangladeshi people! Many people had a good command of English (contrary to many European countries!). After all my trips around the world, and specially after my last three trips (India, Philippines and Bangladesh) I have realised that the lesser the people have, the more friendly, kind, polite and respectful they are. Does that mean that France (for example) is FUCKING RICH!??? We, Europeans, have a lot to learn...