25 Years of Evolution

It is not a very short span of time. 25 years comprises roughly one-third of a person's life. The world 25 years ago was a lot different from what it is today, given the massive leaps we have taken in this space of two and a half decades.

The world has been bound together with a 'web', through which we can talk to our acquaintances over long distances instantaneously or send messages within seconds. Scientists have cloned a sheep. Mankind has successfully landed a rover in an alien world.  And, Pluto is no longer a planet!

25 years is quite a long time indeed. In our everyday lives, what are the changes that have occurred? How have we evolved through this time? What are the major shifts that
we have gone through? 

An evolved palate
The culinary industry of Dhaka has come a long way. Today, eateries - from lounges to coffee shops to carts - have mushroomed all over the city. And new restaurants continue to open up. 
Whether you prefer authentic Korean or continental cuisine, or crave a big, fat delicious burger or just a plate of sushi, Dhaka has a plethora of options that delights its dwellers. This was not the case just two decades ago, when there were just a few options of so-called Chinese restaurants that typically served a spicy version of the cuisine. 

A lot of factors have contributed to the change. On one hand, Dhaka has become more cosmopolitan, consequently creating a need for different cuisines. On the other, the local demographic has developed a taste for exotic and authentic foods of different countries, owing mostly to media exposure in the form of cooking shows on television, videos on YouTube and tourism.

While the culinary industry has taken leaps and bounds and has grown to reflect a diverse mix, it has also given up on many simple local delicacies which used to be everyone's favourites in the past. And then, they started to become scarce and in some cases, went extinct. 

From the multi-coloured 'shondesh' to the delicious cookie-type 'naan khatai', we have rubbed out many delectable delights from our lives. 

The culinary sector has evolved a lot since the 1990s; we've earned a lot, but we've also somehow pushed many treasures to the verge of extinction. 

The rise of the super shop 
In the last 25 years, people have seen many of the neighbourhoods maddeningly evolve into modern, buzzing localities, crowded with eateries and schools and apartments. 

We used to walk to the nearest convenience store, which would cater to all the family's grocery needs. The corner shop used to maintain a ledger for our purchases and we would pay the owner at the end of every month. 

But many such grocery stores have closed down. Instead, there are now super shops all over. 

In these modern retail outlets, the shopping experience is quite different from what we were accustomed to. 

We get so many options under one roof; the environment is clean and air conditioned and there is no need of haggling, which is for many people a problem in the traditional vegetable and fish markets. 

In Dhaka, we have, to a large extent, given up on the small 'mudir dokan', which was once the major source of kitchen supplies and a numerous other things. It seems, with the surging popularity of super shops in Dhaka, 'mudir dokan' will not be missed much. 

Doors shut
Not all trends or changes are welcome, though. The fact that we nowadays compromise on family time is a lamentable development.  Previously, it was a rare occasion that the entire family did not sit at the dining table for at least one meal a day.

Things have changed. Now, all parents see are closed doors. While parents spend their time at work and return home considerable late at night, the children are either studying or playing online games. 

During dinner-time, they are either not at home as they're meeting up with some friends or because they take the food from the kitchen and lock themselves up in their own rooms, watching movies or videos on YouTube while they eat.

This depressing scenario of shut doors is becoming increasingly common in the household. It seems that, obviously, our priorities have changed. Spending quality time with family is an extremely healthy thing to do - at every stage of life, not just during childhood. Unfortunately, it is an activity that has declined to a worrisome level in the last few years.