Cultural Etiquette
Western visitors will quickly find that while in Bangladesh, they are in fact the tourist attraction – for the local people, that is. For a country that still has so few foreign visitors and so many people, travellers will quickly become that camera-toting, oddly dressed westerner who does stand out in a crowd of millions. If you're a normally private person, leave that side of you at home. The unbridled curiosity and friendliness of Bangladeshi people shows up when dealing with the endless barrage of the same set of questions. At first this intense interrogation is both interesting and vigorous, but towards the end of a day it can be awfully tiring.
Local clothing is not only comfortable but also demonstrates some cultural awareness. For men, new panjabis (local pyjamas) are almost always worn on holidays or religious events. The thigh-length shirt is typically white, although stylish or wealthy men usually diversify their colour choices. On the whole, female travellers often have a tougher time in Bangladesh because of the conservative values of Islam. Often, it is less easy (but not impossible of course) for women to travel independently in the country, with the main annoyance being an overwhelming amount of personal attention and some isolated incidents of sexual harassment or groping in crowded places. Dressing conservatively is the simplest way to decrease (but never completely avoid) the amount of attention received. Local women often wear a salwar kameez, a long, loose-fitting shirt matched with a pair of baggy pants, all of which is meant to disguise the curvy parts of a woman’s body.
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