Dhaka! The city where traffic jams have more chemistry than most budding relationships and where you can experience all four seasons in a single day — hot, humid, hottest, and rain. Yes, you might think navigating through Dhaka's labyrinthine alleys and cacophonous markets prepares you for the complexities of love, but mate, you're in for a reality check.

Just as you manoeuvre through the notorious traffic of Bijoy Sharani or debate whether to take a CNG or brave the crowded buses, you often find yourself wrestling with another dilemma — does she like me, or is she just being polite? Dhaka might have taught you many survival skills, but interpreting ambiguous texts and subtle social cues isn't one of them. Well, buckle up, because we're about to navigate through the bumper-to-bumper traffic of romantic ambiguity.

Here are the 5 signs that say, "Bro, she's just not that into you."

Her texts are as short as your patience

Let's face it. If your conversational exchanges could win an award, it would be for "Best Impersonation of a Cricket Chorus." You pour your textual artistry into messages that would make Shakespeare blush, but she replies with the enthusiasm of a sloth on a hot summer afternoon — single-word answers or even just the omnipotent "Seen" tick. Seriously, if you're getting more emotional complexity from autocorrect suggestions, it's a sign.

She doesn't know your friends, and she doesn't want to

You've met her friends, memorised their birthdays, and even helped one of them move a couch once. But has she shown any interest in your social circle? If your answer is "What social circle?" you've got bigger problems. However, if her actions scream, "You and your friends are as relevant to me as diet tips from a sumo wrestler," that's one red light you shouldn't run.

Photo: Collected

She's a social media ghost, but only to you

You send her memes, tag her in the comments, and even drop a few friendly DMs. But when it comes to reciprocating, she's as visible as John Cena. She's active, alright — liking, sharing, commenting — but just not with your posts. If you've become the Bermuda Triangle of her social media map, where interactions go to disappear, you're not in her romantic line of sight, my friend.

Shared passions? More like shared indifference

Does she forget the name of your favourite anime even after you've ranted about it for hours? Does she call your treasured collection of vintage watches "cute clocks?" Oh, the audacity! It's like ordering biryani and getting plain white rice. If you're not on the same page on the things that light your soul on fire, then the passion might fizzle faster than a Pathao bike running out of fuel.

All roads lead to "we're just friends"

Let's get real. If she constantly introduces you as her "good friend" or "buddy," you're not stuck in traffic on the highway to love; you've taken a permanent exit to Platonic Town. And trust me, Platonic Town has zero romantic motels. If she's dropping more "F-words" than an angry chef in a cooking show, and by "F-words," I mean "friend," it's time to reconsider your emotional investment.

In the end, if she's exhibiting all these signs, you may have to admit that your love life has stalled worse than a CNG during a Thursday gridlock. But don't worry, Dhaka's taught you to be a survivor; it's time to take another rickshaw and journey towards the possibility of a better match. Keep your spirits high, and don't forget; your perfect "cha-er dokan" date might just be around the next congested corner.