Dhaka is not that big of a city. But there are way too many people, and while the number of buses is not little either, it's far from enough. The daily bus commutes in Dhaka are tedious but if one is willing, there are plenty of drama and stories to find. Today, we will count the five types of passengers you meet on a bus and yes, all of these are from real experiences.

The angry one

It is difficult to determine what makes a bus go; is it the engine or is it that one fuming passenger on the third row? In every bus ride, there is that one person who is angry and screaming at the driver and the supervisor for one of a thousand reasons that we dare not list here. Without a doubt, he is the most vocal and loud one on the bus. Most often, the quarrel is about fare. The angry passenger will not listen to anyone. It doesn't matter that the quarrel is over something as little as five takas only, there is no shortage of vehemence and willingness to resort to fists here.

The businessman

The business tycoons are on the phone the whole time they are on the bus, and they are often so loud that the whole bus becomes aware of their transport business somewhere in the country. These people are so loud that any attempt to cancel them out by using a pair of earbuds falls on deaf ears (yes, pun intended). When the supervisor comes to collect the fare, they are so busy speaking over the phone that they will just wave off and ask them to come later, which if you know anything about Dhaka buses, are an ingredient for oncoming disaster.

The lovebirds

As you get on a bus, in a desperate attempt to find a seat which is rarer than a Dodo bird, you might notice a couple. They sit together and chatter the entire time. Sometimes, there will be giggles, sometimes there will be arguments and often, there will be the pleading voice of the boy who is trying his best to convince the girl about something, what we can only assume is the theory of relativity. Sometimes, the lovebirds come in a group and these overly enthusiastic groups speak so loudly that they beat even the angry one in the bus.

The know-it-all

Mister know-it-all, not to be confused with the angry one, is that one person who usually sits in the middle of the bus and has an opinion about everything. The weather is terrible today? He knows all about it. The cricket team has put on yet another shameful display? You can count on him to have an opinion about the strategy and where it all went wrong. Something is going viral on Facebook? You guessed it, our know-it-all indeed knows about that too, and he is not used to keeping his voice down or his opinion to himself. He can be heard trying to host a talk show with anyone who will humour him in the bus.

The anxious one

You might be a regular commuter on the bus, but there are people who have no idea about the route or the fare. Some of them might be venturing in that part of Dhaka for the first time in their life. These are the anxious ones who will constantly remind the supervisor about their stoppage. But unforgiving as the Dhaka streets are, they are right to be dubious and they resort to asking other passengers about the stoppages and fares. The constant checking of Google Maps, the frequent phone calls with their relatives/friends every 10 minutes, and the uncomfortable fumbling with their bags are a dead giveaway. Unfortunately, despite their continuous effort, most of the time, they miss their stoppage and then jump out of the bus in a rather comical way that is far from safe.

Of course, there are a few honourable mentions; like the compulsive eater, the sports fan, the one with all the bags, the one who is way too stylish to be on a bus, and last but not least, the silent one with earbuds in his ears.

So, which one are you?