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Tour Diaries

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March 9, 2010

Posted by Andrew Miller on 03/09/2010

The Bangladeshi boozer


The Railwayman’s Inn on Station Road © Andrew Miller
 
The Railwayman’s Inn on Station Road sounds like a thoroughly conventional boozer. The sort of place with a jukebox and soiled brown carpets, and a dozy clientele of commuters waiting for the 17.32 to Paddington. The Railwayman’s Inn on Station Road in Chittagong, on the other hand, is something else entirely.

Mind you, Station Road in Chittagong is a sufficiently different sort of place as it is. It’s a long wide boulevard of the distinctly functional variety, with cheap and cheerful hotels lined up along one side, and even cheaper, rather less cheerful stalls and boutiques on the other.

It’s grimy and noisy, and tailored towards a transient market, with the average trip across
the road bringing to mind that old-school computer game, Frogger. As you dither through the
traffic, a constant stream of buses, lorries, carts, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws bear down
on you at every speed imaginable, first from one direction, then from another, with only a
thin brick kerb in the middle providing any sanctuary.

If you time your run right, you can even tuck into a power-up on the other side, because for some reason there seems to be an intermittent but constant stream of banana-traders marching steadfastly up the hill with their loads strung out in two pans across their shoulders. Ten taka (10p) for a bunch of four, and that’s breakfast sorted for another day.

But back to the boozer, because frankly that’s the logical place to go back to after a hard day’s hacking in the Chittagong press box. It’s a five-minute wander from my digs at the Asian SR Hotel, through a fog of exhaust fumes from the endlessly revving engines of Chittagong’s Bus Depot (from which you will be whisked on a ten-hour, 20 taka trip back to Dhaka if you drop your guard for so much as a moment), and then round the corner by the partially collapsed building on the left of the road as you approach the roundabout.

If you blink, you miss the turn-off, because immediately you’re plunged into darkness for 20 metres, as you totter down a muddy back-alley towards a green staircase behind an iron
shutter, where a burly security guard is the only clue as to the riches that lie within. But a smart salute (and occasionally a palmful of baksheesh) earns you the right to ascend to the second floor, where a cavernous and unlit restaurant marks the gold at the end of the rainbow.

It's not a lot to look at, but then Bangladeshi bars don’t really go in for frills. Strictly speaking, alcohol is frowned upon in these parts, but frankly, given the run-ins the country has had with religion in the past, no-one actually gives two hoots any more. Certainly not the landlords, when they can rake in 140 Takas (£1.40) for a coke-sized can of “Hunters”, whose blue, red and gold emblem looks suspiciously similar to a certain well-known Aussie lager.

It may be a seedy setting, but it's a distinctly up-market clientele (and given that each beer costs more than the country's average daily income, that's not exactly surprising). A large fish tank behind the bar is the only designated source of light, although with satellite TV showing everything from Bollywood to the Premier League, the venue flickers with a cinema-like glow.

Except of course, when one of Chittagong's regular power-cuts kicks in. But as and when that
happens, the conversation carries on without so much as a beat being skipped. As if an
announcement had gone out that the 17.32 to Paddington has been delayed by approximately 40 minutes. And we apologise for the inconvenience it may cause.

 
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Comments

Posted by: Obayed on 03/09/2010

Hi millar i like ur articles. if don't yet to go hill tracks of chittagong u will miss something. U will also go to coxbazar.(longest beach of the world) U will enjoy the journey of chittagong to coxbazar. Enjoy ur tour of Bangladesh.

Posted by: Obayed on 03/09/2010

Hi millar i like ur articles. if don't yet to go hill tracks of chittagong u will miss something. U will also go to coxbazar.(longest beach of the world) U will enjoy the journey of chittagong to coxbazar. Enjoy ur tour of Bangladesh.

Posted by: nahid on 03/09/2010

bangladesh should play with ashraful.because it can give mental support to bangladesh players on the other hand england will fell some pressure is well.

Posted by: Wafi Sattar on 03/10/2010

Amusing stuff. When in Chittagong, you HAVE to try the Rum and Gin from the neighboring Myanmar...they have a distinctively sweet taste which is notoriously infectious my friend. Hope you are enjoying the trip safely so far. Don't forget to take a trip to Cox's Bazaar (its got many nice beaches to enjoy) and the St. Martin's Island when you can (if you can) mate. Cheers.

Posted by: Masum on 03/10/2010

It is good time to beat England cz Pietersen is out of form & Staruss not play in this tour. should Bangladeshi player score 500+ frist innings & we waiting for agood news.

England should careful 1st test cz Last team visitors of our country South Africa, Sirilanka, Newzland, India they faced good challenge from Bangladesh. Be careful England!!!!!!

Posted by: anindya on 03/10/2010

Hey Mr Miller.
Well I must say your writing is simply amazing...Thank you so much for showing the true decent picture of Bangladesh(cricket or non Cricket wise)I am basically from chittagong but leaving outside the country for the last decade!! Here's hoping you have a memorable trip to my country and a memorable test series ahead... keep up the good work..
Cheers

Posted by: Rahman on 03/10/2010

Mr Miller,
Have you tried 'tiger prawns' from the Bay of Bengal and 'Goyal Gogu'(Goyal beef, to be obtained from the butchers of Bayaddar Hat) yet? If not, you have missed these specialities of Chittagong. And do not go into such seedy joints that you described. It is not becoming of an English gentleman! ha ha! Stick to Chittagong Club and ask for rum and coke as some smart guy has already suggested. Cheeiro matie! Have a great stay in Chittagong.

Posted by: Ariful_hstu on 03/10/2010

I suggest you to visit coxsbazar. The longest beach of world.
Thanks......

Posted by: poison on 03/10/2010

Hi Mr Miller, if you want good quality cheap drinks when in Chittagong, I suggest you pay a visit to the Chittagong Potenga Sea Beach in the evenings, or near the port area, you should be able to find someone who will sell you imported high quality Alcohol from French Champagne to Scotch Whisky really cheap. Or if you want to drink in a good atmosphere with Posh settings, you should make someone take you to the Chittagong Club Bar

Posted by: J-cricket on 03/10/2010

Wow.Great job Mr.Miller. I love your tour diaries. They're a great read. So detailed and honest. Nice to see to someone portray places like this in Bangladesh[no matter how it may seem]in such an interesting manner. Bangladesh is a wonderful place to be. You just have to get use to it! There are many beautiful sites and believe it or not --serene places. Thank you for covering this Land that 150 million call home!

And Bangladesh cricket ain't so bad either! It just needs time!

Hope you enjoy your stay!

Posted by: Shahid Mohammed Hasan on 03/10/2010

Hi Andrew, it's nice that you are enjoying your stay in Chittagong. But try to visit the hill tracks of Chittagong (if you like trekking then there is no better place than this), World's longest beach Cox'sBazar etc etc.

Posted by: S.M.Tofazzel Hossain on 03/10/2010

Bangladeshi TV Channels are televising that one of the young promising cricketers Rakibul Hasan resigned from all types of cricket of Bangladesh today. It is really a shocking news that a cricketer will end his career at so young age. We hope higher authority would look into the matter and we assume there might have some kind of problem in the team that forced the cricketer to take such decision in the mid of a tour of a guest team( England).

Posted by: Asad on 03/10/2010

Hi I am wondering why roquibul don't want to ply any more. Something behind it.This is politics of BCCB. Can you find it out please..

Posted by: Asad on 03/10/2010

Hi I am wondering why roquibul don't want to ply any more. Something behind it.This is politics of BCCB. Can you find it out please..

Posted by: tanvir on 03/10/2010

andrew u r a good author

Posted by: shanto fayshal on 03/10/2010

i like ur articles.Hope you are enjoying the trip safely so far.plz if u hav time den take a trip to saint martin island.hoping you have a memorable trip to my country and a memorable test series ahead...

Posted by: rafiq islam tutul on 03/10/2010

bangladesh needs someone in the middle who can bat solidly atleast for 2 sessions. it will be interesting to see who will play this anchor role in the middle order. too much expectation from sakib and in the absence of ashraul, it will be much more pressure on him. all the best to the bangladesh team, who are showing recently real sign of improvement. thanks miller for your writings.

Posted by: zahid on 03/10/2010

hey miller you should visit coxsbazar you will see one of the beautiful scence in the world trust me. when you go to coxbazar try to go himchori from coxbazar by rickshaw . than you will imagine somethings. coxbazar is the best spot in bangladesh that where y can make best trip

Posted by: simon humphrey on 03/11/2010

Andy, see you at the Peacock in about a week.

Posted by: saurabh on 03/11/2010

Andrew, You are lucky to roam around the streets of another city while the cricketers you follow quiver in the comforts of the hotel rooms.

Hats off :)

Posted by: sanin on 03/11/2010

Andrew....dont forget to visit all the natural beuties of Rangamati and Bandarban,

Posted by: erfun on 03/11/2010

hi andrew

i am really happy to know that u have visited one of the oldest bar in bangladesh x what did you try there gin/vodk or wishky?

thank u very mush for high lighting the railway inn & bar

Posted by: Shahid Hasan on 03/11/2010

I dont understand Why not selected Masrafi Bin Murtoza bangladesh Enland 1st Test match

M.Mortoza best bolar

Posted by: Shihab Rasel on 03/11/2010

Bangladesh is a beautiful country.So everybody visit our country.

Posted by: jakir on 03/11/2010

i believe this coming test series bangladesh will play good cricket against england.it will be very tied series

Posted by: Shakil on 03/11/2010

Must go to Cox's Bazar or you will miss a lifetime chance Bro...

Posted by: Worzel1 on 03/12/2010

Well, the expected stroll in the park (so far) for England. But, Andrew, it sounds as though you have no choice but to give us an up-to-date report on Cox's Bazar!! Keep up the most entertaining work.

Posted by: Sidvicious on 03/12/2010

Hunter costs only 100 taka.so tat bar cheated u of 40 taka!

Posted by: pezal on 03/13/2010

hi...andy...
why u try to show the poorest site of bangladesh. u must show the beauty and finest site of our lovely country.u show the hill beauti..show the wealth site of bangaladeshi people....u must..

Posted by: Mizanul Khan on 03/16/2010

Just an Excellent piece of work. Thank you Mr. Miller. I think that you should take tour to whole Bangladesh(country side), then you would able to see real Bangladesh.

Thanks.
M. Khan
Canada

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