My Dhaka: The many images of Dhaka metro rail

I have been using the metro rail service sporadically through the past couple of months, and I have to admit, I treat it like a bit of a luxury. Even though I have had the privilege of using private transport for my commute to and from work, which is about 17 kilometres away from my home, I often find myself feeling like I have indulged a bit when I use the metro. While the obvious advantage of not having to sit in traffic for hours has a lot to do with this feeling, I believe that the spectacle of the station and the metro itself is what takes the cake for me.

I often opt to wait a few extra minutes and catch the next train instead of getting on the first train I can find. In those six minutes, give or take a couple of minutes, I find myself observing all the people around me. I admit, a lot of the time people are also staring back at me, often judging me for my eccentric sense of fashion. However, as I indulge myself in this odd kaleidoscope of familiar images, there are a few that I enjoy most.

Almost every time that I have used the metro rail, I have come across a family with children whose eyes are filled with wonder as they prepare themselves for their first-ever metro rail journey. With almost identical expressions, these kids rush towards the train as the gates open, and at the insistence of their parents, sit down, only to jump up as soon as the train has started. They sometimes press their faces against the windows, and sometimes circle around the poles holding on for support. Sometimes, if they notice their parents getting distracted, they even let the poles go for a few seconds, just for the rush. 

However, what may just be my favourite picture is when I notice young girls, often college students travelling by themselves, lugging around their heavier-than-self backpacks and slouching on the first seat they can find empty. What I love observing is the ease with which young girls find themselves boarding the metro.

Just a few months ago, I would not have been able to fathom a situation where a young girl would be able to avail the services of a public transport service in Dhaka by herself with such ease. Having been on the receiving end of many unsolicited remarks and unwelcome shoves on the streets of Dhaka, it is refreshing to see that the female compartment has amounted to more than mere lip service.

I have found a peculiar sense of reflection and familiarity in the vast sea of unfamiliar faces I get to see at the stations and in the trains, filled with people from all walks of life going about their regular days. While we have all heard of the many strides, we, as a nation, have been taking towards the concept of development, the metro rail is the one that has resonated the most with the idea of moving forward for me.