Neighbour: friend or foe?

This is the prevailing scene for most of us living in apartment buildings in Dhaka. With mushrooming high-rises and a lack of proper urban design, our privacy has long been compromised and our comfort completely sold.  While you can hardly do anything to change the structure of the apartment buildings, there is certain basic etiquette that we should uphold in the spirit of being a good neighbour. 

PLEASE TURN IT DOWN

No one expects you to take a vow of silence inside your own apartment, but sometimes it is easy to forget that not everyone enjoys listening to your favourite singer at 10am on a Friday morning as much as you do. 

Minimise the volume on your television and music systems. Also ensure that your child is not staying up all night watching his favourite action movie at an unbearably high volume while the rest of the neighbourhood is trying to sleep. 

Appliances such as drills, vacuum cleaners or blenders should also be used at appropriate times.

Lastly, no matter how rushed you are, please close your doors with ease. Apartment doors jolts people when slammed shut. 

DO NOT BE A GOSSIPMONGER

This is a universal rule. Respect your neighbour's personal space and privacy. Your next-door couple may be going through marital strife, but please do not engage in gossip regarding it. If you can hear a young couple getting into fights every night or a woman being subjected to domestic violence, attempt to help them not by publicising it to the entire community but through showing humility and sincerity as a fellow human being. 

THIS IS NOT A BUMPER CAR RIDE

This protocol may appear insignificant compared to the ones before. However, not abiding by it can be truly irksome. Always be aware of your parking space and do not double park. If you are having a party and are in need of space, 

ask the authorities to provide a solution. Simply do not park your guest's car in a space allotted to your neighbour just because it appears empty.

DUMPSTER ISSUE 

Please know the time when the garbage collector comes to your building. A trash bin in the hallway is not a pretty sight. Clean it regularly. Make sure to close your trash bin at all times since open trashcans spread foul odour and invite disease spreading vectors inside the building. 

Do not throw your trash in your neighbour's bin and always be careful not to over spill trash. 

A DOG IS NOT EVERYBODY'S BEST FRIEND 

Not everybody is welcoming to pets. Some people may even be allergic to certain animals. It is a good idea to keep your pet on a leash when you are taking it outside your apartment. Even if you choose to keep a dog or a cat in your apartment, make sure they are of a suitable breed. Consider the safety of your neighbours when keeping a pet. 

YOUR NEIGHBOUR IS NOT A MAKESHIFT SUPERMARKET 

It is acceptable to occasionally ask for a screwdriver, if you cannot find yours. On the other hand, if you are baking a cake and you need to ask for flour, eggs, baking powder and even sugar from your neighbour, it is time to reconsider your monthly grocery list. This can be exasperating if it occurs regularly. 

THE HALLWAY IS NOT A PART OF YOUR APARTMENT 

The hallway is meant to be used as a passage where neighbours can easily enter of exit their apartments. It is not a place for mini football tournaments for your children, who often create a racket, ruining peace inside the building. It is important to realise that hallways are a shared space meant for everyone and it is best to take your child outside to a nearby park for games.

BE HELPFUL TOWARDS ELDERLY NEIGHBOURS 

Offer to help the elderly in carrying grocery bags to their apartments, holding the elevator doors open for them, and occasionally checking to make sure they are doing okay. The little things you can do will mean a lot.

Always keep in mind that being friendly is something that can benefit both you and the family living across the hall. If you are being a generous neighbour, occasionally doing little favours, then you are bound to be at the receiving end of favours too. Follow these simple rules and you are one step away from receiving the neighbour of the year award!

By Mayesha Raidah

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed