This thread is a continuation of Dhaka Cityscapes - Part 5 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=602088) . Now, post away !!!

A Repost of Mirza's latest shots.

More pics

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/18/03/30/4481410_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/18/03/26/4481329_1000x750.jpg

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http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/18/03/31/4481421_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/18/03/28/4481370_1000x750.jpg

Repost



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http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/18/03/25/4481306_1000x1333.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2639/3715604627_c18f752bb9_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2481/3732301922_c1c1e05a22_b.jpg

by Md. Ziaul Hoque

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2658/3709912909_b7f63b4784_o.jpghttp://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/3717580824_f42a9d1215_o.jpg

by Asif Imtiaz

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/3727691480_57d418236b_o.jpg

by mainul_055

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2602/3726543355_b31fb0a7e9_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3475/3719541857_0a34452a0e_o.jpg

where is this place?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/3724118444_cd88a9005e_b.jpg

by dhakarakbar

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/2904061271_b70b817b27_b.jpg

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3686802312_ab0d120977_o.jpg

^^ Haha its a old guy driving the Lotus.

where is this place?

Which pic?

Which pic?
the ones above the lotus

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3475/3719541857_0a34452a0e_o.jpg
btw isnt it toyota altezza and lexus IS

what next? lexus premio/allion :P

where is this place?

Gulshan -2

btw isnt it toyota altezza and lexus IS

what next? lexus premio/allion :P

yup that is a Toyota Altezza aka Lexus IS, hahaha i wont be surprised if there is Lexus Premio :P

guys, anyone knws why on earth there is a radar-like dome on top of IDB Tower?

Great start to the thread Amar:cheers:

Gulshan -2
nope thats not gulshan 2, i didnt know there were that many colonies there

nope thats not gulshan 2, i didnt know there were that many colonies there

I think its Banani.

by mahfuz623

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2616/3726777566_f53d7c1d73_o.jpg

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2579/3725971995_64c691ec7d_o.jpg

^^
Why do Dhaka aerial photos appear so foggy these days? Were these taken in the winter? I have not known for fog to be present in Dhaka other than in winter.

^^It think they were. The areas near water appear to be foggier. Also, I did not realize that the waterbody was so close to the Parliament.

Also, I did not realize that the waterbody was so close to the Parliament.

Dhaka is very small area-wise :) ...one reason why the density is so high. The water is of course the continuation of the Buriganga (called Turag a little further upstream) plus associated floodplain, beyond the Beri Bund.

I think its Banani.

That is Gulshan 2 actually---you can see the white colored Landmark building with the "Ninfas" restaurant,and next to it is the "to-be 18 storied" Taher Tower that currently houses Atish Dipankar University as well as the BOSE showroom.

That is Gulshan 2 actually---you can see the white colored Landmark building with the "Ninfas" restaurant,and next to it is the "to-be 18 storied" Taher Tower that currently houses Atish Dipankar University as well as the BOSE showroom.
where are so many colonies in gulshan? and the tnt colony in banani aint that big you know

where are so many colonies in gulshan? and the tnt colony in banani aint that big you know

Oh..my mistake..I thought you guys were referring to the Black and white picture of the intersection-had no idea u were talking about the aerial shots:nuts:

Oh..my mistake..I thought you guys were referring to the Black and white picture of the intersection-had no idea u were talking about the aerial shots:nuts:
hehehe i think that is somewhere near mirpur inside the cantonment area

Dhaka is very small area-wise :) ...one reason why the density is so high. The water is of course the continuation of the Buriganga (called Turag a little further upstream) plus associated floodplain, beyond the Beri Bund.

Do you by chance know how big sq mi wise Dhaka city is? According to Wikipedia, it's 59.4 sq mi, which is mind numbingly small relative to the population when you consider that the Dallas suburb I live in is 60 sq mi with a population of 110,000 :nuts:

Do you by chance know how big sq mi wise Dhaka city is? According to Wikipedia, it's 59.4 sq mi, which is mind numbingly small relative to the population when you consider that the Dallas suburb I live in is 60 sq mi with a population of 110,000 :nuts:
dude bd is roughly the size of iowa with half the population of the states.

Yea actually looking back at my post, it was pretty ridiculous to compare, however I was just curious to know how much area the city government had to look over and care for. I just got back from Chittagong this a month ago visiting relatives and had not spent too much time in Dhaka. Regardless of the size of BD, cramming more than 6 million into such a small area makes it dense as all of us skyscraper fans like, however it does little in terms of livability. According to unreliable wikipedia, Dhaka is the densest city on earth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Densest_cities

Yea actually looking back at my post, it was pretty ridiculous to compare, however I was just curious to know how much area the city government had to look over and care for. I just got back from Chittagong this a month ago visiting relatives and had not spent too much time in Dhaka. Regardless of the size of BD, cramming more than 6 million into such a small area makes it dense as all of us skyscraper fans like, however it does little in terms of livability. According to unreliable wikipedia, Dhaka is the densest city on earth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Densest_cities
at least we numbah one in sumthing!

According to unreliable wikipedia, Dhaka is the densest city on earth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Densest_cities

Really depends what criteria they are using. I saw a list (admittedly a good while back) which had completely different figures and showed Hong Kong far ahead of the pack...while wiki does not even list Hong Kong. In that list, Dhaka was # 2.

^^ You are right, depending on criteria, it could change dramatically. Hopefully with this density we'll get some 600+ footers in the near future :cheers:

at least we numbah one in sumthing!

Ha true dat

Really depends what criteria they are using. I saw a list (admittedly a good while back) which had completely different figures and showed Hong Kong far ahead of the pack...while wiki does not even list Hong Kong. In that list, Dhaka was # 2.
dont forget singapore!

^^ and Macau

^^ You are right, depending on criteria, it could change dramatically. Hopefully with this density we'll get some 600+ footers in the near future :cheers:


Although skyscrapers look nice and save space by going up into the sky, they dont do wonders for Dhaka's already awful traffic situation because you have more vehicles using the same narrow road which you cant increase.

by dusdus

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3503/3732622374_623d323d97_b.jpg

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by walker_dawson

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3484/3747540810_315ca0ae92_b.jpg

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/3749570079_20166479a1_o.jpg

Although skyscrapers look nice and save space by going up into the sky, they dont do wonders for Dhaka's already awful traffic situation because you have more vehicles using the same narrow road which you cant increase.

Indeed. The steady stream of mid rises is much more compatible to the current infrastructure. BTW great compilation of pics amar.:okay:

^^ those pics taken by a foreigner?

By Ershad Ahmed

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7250.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7251.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7252.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7253.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7255.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7261.jpg

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http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7265.jpg

Nice shots Amar:cheers:

Nice shots Amar:cheers:

Thanks, here are few more by Ershad Ahmed

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7276.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7277.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7278.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7279.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7280.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7282.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7284.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7285.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7298.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/7303.jpg

I hope we can get the Dhaka pictures from yesterday & today's rain scene! if Mirza gets to capture sum, would be great :)

The next Mexico City:)

^^ naah we can be better, we have the potential to become sumthin like Kualalampur even :)

^^ "Malaysia worshipping" again!! :lol: :lol:

Anyway great Dhaka shots :cheers: Though still I'm not convinced with how busy and crowded
Dhaka is as always potryaed by some BD friends.

Well said Sky Prince. :D I doubt he knows anything abt Mexico City to even say that it is better than KL. Btw KL has 3 million ppl and Mexico City 16 million. Naturally we are more comparable to the latter which is actually a nice city(albeit a bit unsafe these days).

As for Dhaka my friend it is super crowded. Its prety spacious once you come out of the airport and head down south on the highway (assuming you are not going to Uttara) but a few more miles and boy will you see crowdedness. I suggest you live in small flat in the heart of the city and then your opinions will change. You will spend hours just to go few kilometers here and there. And you will also probably be able to shake hands with your neighbours in the nearby builidngs.

KL is really a wonderful and amazing city, I don't know much about Mexico city even though I live pretty close to the Mexican border :)

Back to topic...

by vampiresharif

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by rakibulislam

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by Ethiopian Wolf

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Large version

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by mick62

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Well said Sky Prince. :D I doubt he knows anything abt Mexico City to even say that it is better than KL. Btw KL has 3 million ppl and Mexico City 16 million. Naturally we are more comparable to the latter which is actually a nice city(albeit a bit unsafe these days).

As for Dhaka my friend it is super crowded. Its prety spacious once you come out of the airport and head down south on the highway (assuming you are not going to Uttara) but a few more miles and boy will you see crowdedness. I suggest you live in small flat in the heart of the city and then your opinions will change. You will spend hours just to go few kilometers here and there. And you will also probably be able to shake hands with your neighbours in the nearby builidngs.

... cities like Tehran, cairo, Sao Paulo are good comparison too.

Seriously I didn't see much people and massive crowds when I was in Dhaka. I stayed in BD friends' apartment in the lower-middle class area of Baridhara I know there are lots of people per sq area there but there were very few cars, buses and CNGs around plus I didn't see much shops, restaurants or markets where people gather in massive crowds, so the entire neighborhood looks so quiet and calm.

We also took public bus and rickshaw from Parliament building to Bongo Bazaar at noon on a weekday, yes there is traffic congestion but not that serious as like KL or Bangkok . We surfed through the rush hour traffic on the way back to Baridhara , but the traffic is still nothing. Street activities are very minimal in Dhaka as compared to KL.Bangkok. I found very very few food stalls on the sidestreets of Dhaka, and where's entertainment outlets that turn music at maximum volume !?

I think Tanzirian gave me the relatively low GDP as a reason but I was also in Yemen and I found their Sana'a and Aden look like party towns with so many crowds, traffic, crazy music, noisy markets, etc which are real happening place with loads of people.

If I didn't know the population of BD, I would've guessed it just 10 million.^^

Is Banghladesh India -look country? I mean which culture is it similiar to? What language do you speak in BD?:?

^^

hey Jamuary, haha I thought u were a Bangladeshi lol.....where u from anyway??

lemme tell u about Bangladesh briefly...

It does look like India and other Asian countries in nature :)

Culture wise, well, we are Muslims but I am not quite sure where does our culture inherits from.....but theres a mix of Indian/Pakistani cultures i guess. (lol im not so good in cultural discussion sorry)

We speak Bangla / Bengali, which sort of sounds like Hindi and Urdu sumtimes because a lot of words are the same in our language and in their language. Also, in Bangla, there are some 17,000 words which are derivated from Persian. There are also similar words with Arabic, Turkish etc..

Please do visit our beautiful Bangladesh :)

Is Banghladesh India -look country? I mean which culture is it similiar to? What language do you speak in BD?:?

The country is spelled as "BANGLADESH" and the language is Bengali or Bangla.

Culturally there are commonalities between India and Bangladesh but it is an independent country of its own accord. You can read up more about it at this Wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh

I hope we can get the Dhaka pictures from yesterday & today's rain scene! if Mirza gets to capture sum, would be great :)

I didn't manage to take pics while it was raining the first day[--however,it started raining heavily again today---and someone got lucky:)

New Pictures

Moments before and after it started to rain today

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/03/4634520_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/06/4634581_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/07/4634600_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/04/4634559_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/06/4634588_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/08/4634620_1000x1179.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/01/4634487_1000x750.jpg


A wall of corporate towers--and its getting longer:cheers:


http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/02/4634517_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/03/4634518_1000x750.jpg

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Other pictures

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/04/4634546_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/06/4634580_1000x750.jpg

Parts of Baridhara Park remain under water after 11 hrs of rain

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/01/4634486_1000x750.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/07/29/11/04/4634546_1000x750.jpg


Fantastic pictures as usual, but what building is that under construction (Doreen?)

... cities like Tehran, cairo, Sao Paulo are good comparison too.

Seriously I didn't see much people and massive crowds when I was in Dhaka. I stayed in BD friends' apartment in the lower-middle class area of Baridhara I know there are lots of people per sq area there but there were very few cars, buses and CNGs around plus I didn't see much shops, restaurants or markets where people gather in massive crowds, so the entire neighborhood looks so quiet and calm.

We also took public bus and rickshaw from Parliament building to Bongo Bazaar at noon on a weekday, yes there is traffic congestion but not that serious as like KL or Bangkok . We surfed through the rush hour traffic on the way back to Baridhara , but the traffic is still nothing. Street activities are very minimal in Dhaka as compared to KL.Bangkok. I found very very few food stalls on the sidestreets of Dhaka, and where's entertainment outlets that turn music at maximum volume !?

I think Tanzirian gave me the relatively low GDP as a reason but I was also in Yemen and I found their Sana'a and Aden look like party towns with so many crowds, traffic, crazy music, noisy markets, etc which are real happening place with loads of people.

If I didn't know the population of BD, I would've guessed it just 10 million.^^

Baridhara is by no means a lower-middle class area. Its actually a newer suburb of Dhaka, thats why you probably found it less hectic.

thanks for explanation. I'm from Poland

Fantastic pictures as usual, but what building is that under construction (Doreen?)

yup that is Doreen Tower :)

thanks for explanation. I'm from Poland

welcome to our Bangladesh thread :) .....

btw, how is Warsaw :D

... cities like Tehran, cairo, Sao Paulo are good comparison too.

Seriously I didn't see much people and massive crowds when I was in Dhaka. I stayed in BD friends' apartment in the lower-middle class area of Baridhara I know there are lots of people per sq area there but there were very few cars, buses and CNGs around plus I didn't see much shops, restaurants or markets where people gather in massive crowds, so the entire neighborhood looks so quiet and calm.

We also took public bus and rickshaw from Parliament building to Bongo Bazaar at noon on a weekday, yes there is traffic congestion but not that serious as like KL or Bangkok . We surfed through the rush hour traffic on the way back to Baridhara , but the traffic is still nothing. Street activities are very minimal in Dhaka as compared to KL.Bangkok. I found very very few food stalls on the sidestreets of Dhaka, and where's entertainment outlets that turn music at maximum volume !?



Baridhara is no-where near lower middle class. A lot of foreigners and diplomats live there. A lot of the swanky apartments and houses and that are posted in this forum are from there. Its actually a pretty less densly populated area. Go to areas near Old Dhaka. You will see congestion. (That being said Old Dhaka is really old. Like 400 yrs old old hence the really really narrow alleys there).

and where's entertainment outlets that turn music at maximum volume !?


I didnt exactly catch what you meant by this.

Baridhara is no-where near lower middle class. A lot of foreigners and diplomats live there. A lot of the swanky apartments and houses and that are posted in this forum are from there. Its actually a pretty less densly populated area. Go to areas near Old Dhaka. You will see congestion. (That being said Old Dhaka is really old. Like 400 yrs old old hence the really really narrow alleys there).

Skyprince may have meant Kuril - it is close to Baridhara but it is a middle-class/lower middle-class neighborhood.

Baridhara is by no means a lower-middle class area. Its actually a newer suburb of Dhaka, thats why you probably found it less hectic.

Baridhara is no-where near lower middle class. A lot of foreigners and diplomats live there. A lot of the swanky apartments and houses and that are posted in this forum are from there. Its actually a pretty less densly populated area. Go to areas near Old Dhaka. You will see congestion. (That being said Old Dhaka is really old. Like 400 yrs old old hence the really really narrow alleys there).

Skyprince may have meant Kuril - it is close to Baridhara but it is a middle-class/lower middle-class neighborhood.

Hmm.. but the place where I stayed is just 5-10 mins walk from that swanky ( new word!? ) part of Baridhara full of high-end villas .... Maybe it's Kuril, yes....

This is where exactly I stayed:

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l169/Malaysianboy1/Bangladesh%20trip/IMG_2430.jpg

and here is the view from my room:

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l169/Malaysianboy1/Bangladesh%20trip/IMG_2436.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l169/Malaysianboy1/Bangladesh%20trip/IMG_2437.jpg


@King_Nothing

I did not hear much loud music/ street announcements etc. on the streets of Dhaka , so that also contributes to Dhaka's relative calm and uncrowdiness.

I hope we can get the Dhaka pictures from yesterday & today's rain scene! if Mirza gets to capture sum, would be great :)

Here You go.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/2009-07-28-13-41-02-JulyTwentyeight.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/2009-07-28-13-41-07-JulyTwentyeight.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/2009-07-28-13-42-42-JulyTwentyeight.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/2009-07-28-14-24-53-JulyTwentyeight.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/2009-07-28-16-50-44-JulyTwentyeight.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/2009-07-28-16-51-07-JulyTwentyeight.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/2009-07-28-16-52-14-JulyTwentyeight.jpghttp://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/2009-07-28-19-01-07-JulyTwentyeight.jpg

^^ Great pics Amar :) Good sense of immediacy...

^^ good shots ;)

@King_Nothing

I did not hear much loud music/ street announcements etc. on the streets of Dhaka, so that also contributes to Dhaka's relative calm and uncrowdiness.


Lol why would you hear loud music on the streets? Ppl can listen to loud music in their rooms. But the constant honking makes enough noise anyway.

in my country we often have the same^^

The rain photos depict the abysmal condition of Dhaka's drainage systems. Filling up canals, rivers and wetlands is making the situation worse.

I read some news reports that a lot of people found their cars submerged in the underground parking lots of apartment complexes. Is this true and if so, I wonder how a future subway will fare when there's a deluge?

^^I think the first picture is of the PM motorcade! I am glad she saw it too. Hopefully, she will do something to fix it??

^^

lol lets hope, but we cant trust any BD govt sadly!

The rain photos depict the abysmal condition of Dhaka's drainage systems. Filling up canals, rivers and wetlands is making the situation worse.

I read some news reports that a lot of people found their cars submerged in the underground parking lots of apartment complexes. Is this true and if so, I wonder how a future subway will fare when there's a deluge?

that includes luxurious and expensive BMWs aswell :S

Is this true and if so, I wonder how a future subway will fare when there's a deluge?

How does the subway fare in Kolkata? They have the same flood problem I would believe.

How does the subway fare in Kolkata? They have the same flood problem I would believe.

I do not have any information regarding rain water drainage situation in Kolkata. To be honest, I haven't seen any headlines mentioning large scale flooding in Kolkata unlike Dhaka where knee deep standing water seems to be the norm whenever the monsoons rage with fury. Mumbai has a similar problem, but with the coast being nearby, the water drains into the sea quickly.

I'm sure a subway system can be built taking into account the terrain and drainage but it being Bangladesh, who knows what the final product will be. I know the runway at ZIA was flooded at one time.

I do not have any information regarding rain water drainage situation in Kolkata. To be honest, I haven't seen any headlines mentioning large scale flooding in Kolkata unlike Dhaka where knee deep standing water seems to be the norm whenever the monsoons rage with fury. Mumbai has a similar problem, but with the coast being nearby, the water drains into the sea quickly.

I'm sure a subway system can be built taking into account the terrain and drainage but it being Bangladesh, who knows what the final product will be. I know the runway at ZIA was flooded at one time.

lol I was wondering the same thing 2 days ago, that if most of Dhaka's major roads were flooded, whats the condition at ZIA lol......anyway, when did ZIA get flooded last time?

@ samaruf: I agree fix the drainage first only then move on to subway.

Fantastic pictures as usual, but what building is that under construction (Doreen?)

Thanks Amar....yes..that is the Doreen Tower.I cant wait for the Sunmar tower[25 storey] and Unique Arcopolis[25 storey] to rise beside it to add to the skyline.

Thanks Amar....yes..that is the Doreen Tower.I cant wait for the Sunmar tower[25 storey] and Unique Arcopolis[25 storey] to rise beside it to add to the skyline.

Nice, I completely forgot about those two projects.

Nice, I completely forgot about those two projects.

HEHE,I knew i had to remind you----btw...hope you remember that the 3 "25 storey" United Heights Towers will also be visible in that pic once work on the project resumes.:lol:

How does the subway fare in Kolkata? They have the same flood problem I would believe.

Kolkata also faces the same problem of rain-water stagnation as in Dhaka and Mumbai. To get news about Kolkata pl visit famous bangla newspaper "anandabazar patrika" online at "www.anandabazar.com" on Kolkata sub section.

:)

HEHE,I knew i had to remind you----btw...hope you remember that the 3 "25 storey" United Heights Towers will also be visible in that pic once work on the project resumes.:lol:

Really? This is the first time I am hearing about it, nevertheless it all good. Also do you remember if there are any renderings of the 3 "25 storey" United Heights Towers around these forums?

Really? This is the first time I am hearing about it, nevertheless it all good. Also do you remember if there are any renderings of the 3 "25 storey" United Heights Towers around these forums?

Below is the rendering of the United Heights project by United Group.Although the project has been stalled for a while[like doreen,lotus kamal tower etc were stalled before],the construction site is clearly demarcated and is still marked for this project.With the amount of money the group has already invested on this,and with the resuming of numerous previously stalled projects in GuLshan,I dont see any reason to believe that the development plan will be cancelled.The land for this project is huge,and after completion of work,the towers will be visibly standing just behind the Giant Tv Screen in Gulshan 2.

United Heights,Gulshan 2
http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/08/01/12/04/4662032_472x500.jpg

^^ now tht looks amazing, I wishd the whole tower was "glassy" :D

^^ now tht looks amazing, I wishd the whole tower was "glassy" :D

Yep,and the shopping center that will be housed in the first six floors will be a welcome addition for everyone in the area:)

^^ yeah prolly typical Bangladeshi shopping mall hehe, not like sumthin JFP, i.e "international" style mall, although I must say that they should have few 'international-style' malls in Gulshan cuz of foreigners living in tht area :)

Do the Malls in Bangladesh follow a certain style that's copied from somewhere else or is it all indigenous? My family bought a shop in the Polwell Carnation Mall in Uttara (Mirzazeehan's photo) and it seems the items sold in each floor is determined by the floor level. I think first level is gift items, second level clothing etc.
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/Dhaka%20Rising/DSC03893.jpg

Below is the rendering of the United Heights project by United Group.Although the project has been stalled for a while[like doreen,lotus kamal tower etc were stalled before],the construction site is clearly demarcated and is still marked for this project.With the amount of money the group has already invested on this,and with the resuming of numerous previously stalled projects in GuLshan,I dont see any reason to believe that the development plan will be cancelled.The land for this project is huge,and after completion of work,the towers will be visibly standing just behind the Giant Tv Screen in Gulshan 2.

United Heights,Gulshan 2
http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/08/01/12/04/4662032_472x500.jpg

Nice building.

Do the Malls in Bangladesh follow a certain style that's copied from somewhere else or is it all indigenous? My family bought a shop in the Polwell Carnation Mall in Uttara (Mirzazeehan's photo) and it seems the items sold in each floor is determined by the floor level. I think first level is gift items, second level clothing etc.
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/Dhaka%20Rising/DSC03893.jpg

As with Polwell Carnation,Malls usually have different seperate levels for different kind of goods.For example--in Bashundhara mall,level 2 is strictly for men's apparels while level 3 is for women's.Hope your investment in the mall turns out to be good one:cheers:

Here is a more recent shot of Polwell Carnation at Uttara

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/08/01/01/38/4663139_1000x750.jpg

.Hope your investment in the mall turns out to be good one:cheers:

Thanks. My dad invested a big chunk of his Kuwait retirement money in the shop and already he is getting calls from "Dalal" type people offering him twice the 2007 price. My brothers and I vetoed any selling because the rent income is more desirable.

Kolkata also faces the same problem of rain-water stagnation as in Dhaka and Mumbai. .

:)

Please tell how the water stagnation affects the operation of the subway. :)

For some reason the latest pics from Mirza are not showing up for me...though normally I have problem seeing his pics.

Thanks. My dad invested a big chunk of his Kuwait retirement money in the shop and already he is getting calls from "Dalal" type people offering him twice the 2007 price. My brothers and I vetoed any selling because the rent income is more desirable.

Thats a great decision..the price of property always keeps on going up and up in Dhaka.In 2008 Rehab fair,per square feet of space in Jamuna Future Park was going for 18000 to 25000 taka...in 2009 Rehab fair,the price has jumped to range from 35000 to 52000 taka per square feet varying with the location of the store.

Thats a great decision..the price of property always keeps on going up and up in Dhaka.In 2008 Rehab fair,per square feet of space in Jamuna Future Park was going for 18000 to 25000 taka...in 2009 Rehab fair,the price has jumped to range from 35000 to 52000 taka per square feet varying with the location of the store.

I really hope we are not in some kind of a real-estate bubble in Dhaka. To be honest, majority of the people buying real-estate are either expatriates or less than savory business types. I don't know how many middle or upper middle class people with no foreign connections or business holdings are buying apartments or shops.

I really hope we are not in some kind of a real-estate bubble in Dhaka. To be honest, majority of the people buying real-estate are either expatriates or less than savory business types. I don't know how many middle or upper middle class people with no foreign connections or business holdings are buying apartments or shops.

I cannot agree with you on that bro.I have noticed that its a common misconception among many bangladeshi expats that expat investment is what drives the Dhaka real estate market---which I personally believe is not true.50000 per square feet may sound alot ,but dont forget that there are still numerous 2000-3000 taka per square feet flats in Dhaka which dont really cost a great deal.Besides,if expat investment had been driving up prices,then the real estate prices in Sylhet would have been much higher than it is in at present--the city is not properly developed yet.Aside from that,I personally have read about and also come across numerous upper middle class families who have invested in real estate.Middle class people often invest in land projects that are comparatively cheap--u know the one bangladeshi dream--EKTI NIJER BASHA,lol.That works on our bangladeshi minds regardless of our level of wealth,and we in bangadesh invest accordingly-if possible then for the present,in not then for the future:)

I cannot agree with you on that bro.I have noticed that its a common misconception among many bangladeshi expats that expat investment is what drives the Dhaka real estate market---which I personally believe is not true.50000 per square feet may sound alot ,but dont forget that there are still numerous 2000-3000 taka per square feet flats in Dhaka which dont really cost a great deal.Besides,if expat investment had been driving up prices,then the real estate prices in Sylhet would have been much higher than it is in at present--the city is not properly developed yet.Aside from that,I personally have read about and also come across numerous upper middle class families who have invested in real estate.Middle class people often invest in land projects that are comparatively cheap--u know the one bangladeshi dream--EKTI NIJER BASHA,lol.That works on our bangladeshi minds regardless of our level of wealth,and we in bangadesh invest accordingly-if possible then for the present,in not then for the future:)

I agree that some common folks are buying too but most of these are people who received a plot from the government or bought a piece of land many years ago and are now selling it to builders in return for several flats in their names. Some are taking the cash and buying in cheaper areas.

The $10 billion in remittance is definitely going somewhere and I believe most of it is being spent in buying real estate after basic consumption(food, clothing etc.) by relatives.

What baffles us expats is who thru legitimate govt. or private service work accumulates 40-50 lakh or even several crores taka to buy property? My brothers and I support our parents in Dhaka and we can clearly see how much money one needs to live comfortably. Unless we have hordes of people earning over 1-2 lakh taka/month and who can afford to stash tens of thousands every month, it just defies logic that local middle class people are driving up the prices.

I don't know about Sylhet, but read a report that almost 5000 crores taka is sitting in the Sylhet banks because our Sylheti bros don't have a plan on how to spend it constructively. Some are investing in real estate, but not that many and some are not interested in doing anything in Dhaka.

The $10 billion in remittance is definitely going somewhere and I believe most of it is being spent in buying real estate after basic consumption(food, clothing etc.) by relatives.



Here is an article about a recent World Bank report that to some extent supports the fact that expats and their remittance have little to do with "land and real estate prices" in BD.

Remittance may cross $10b mark: WB
Star Business Report

The World Bank (WB) said yesterday Bangladesh is expected to receive remittance worth $10.87 billion in the current fiscal year if the global oil price does not fall and the local currency is not appreciated.
The WB also revealed some findings that go beyond traditional beliefs -- only nine percent remittance is sent through unofficial channel, migrants' households spend more on food and lifestyle rather than productive sector such as purchasing land.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=99253

Here is an article about a recent World Bank report that to some extent supports the fact that expats and their remittance have little to do with "land and real estate prices" in BD.

Remittance may cross $10b mark: WB
Star Business Report

The World Bank (WB) said yesterday Bangladesh is expected to receive remittance worth $10.87 billion in the current fiscal year if the global oil price does not fall and the local currency is not appreciated.
The WB also revealed some findings that go beyond traditional beliefs -- only nine percent remittance is sent through unofficial channel, migrants' households spend more on food and lifestyle rather than productive sector such as purchasing land.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=99253

How can a shop worth 15-16 lakh taka in 2007 now selling for around 40 lakh? I mean has the taka devalued 100 percent in a mere two years? What are the experts in Bangladesh alluding the price inflation to? I wonder If someone does a survey of the source of income of most of these real-estate buyers, what would the most common answer be.

The money has to come from somewhere and it saddens me that as a country we don't have enough finances for productive projects like providing safe clean water and electricity to the masses but people are willing to shell out hyper inflated prices for real-estate.

How can a shop worth 15-16 lakh taka in 2007 now selling for around 40 lakh? I mean has the taka devalued 100 percent in a mere two years? What are the experts in Bangladesh alluding the price inflation to? I wonder If someone does a survey of the source of income of most of these real-estate buyers, what would the most common answer be.

The money has to come from somewhere and it saddens me that as a country we don't have enough finances for productive projects like providing safe clean water and electricity to the masses but people are willing to shell out hyper inflated prices for real-estate.

Not only has taka devalued but also property prices shoot up. I've seen how the price of houses in my area have gone up, when our apartment was constructed around 2001, we sold our most expensive flat for 80 lacs, nowadays the it price would be around 2 crores.

How can a shop worth 15-16 lakh taka in 2007 now selling for around 40 lakh? I mean has the taka devalued 100 percent in a mere two years? What are the experts in Bangladesh alluding the price inflation to? I wonder If someone does a survey of the source of income of most of these real-estate buyers, what would the most common answer be.

The money has to come from somewhere and it saddens me that as a country we don't have enough finances for productive projects like providing safe clean water and electricity to the masses but people are willing to shell out hyper inflated prices for real-estate.

The following article might answer some of your questions..

Money-whitening scope pushes flat sales up

The new fiscal year has brought good news to real estate. Apartment sales increased around 15 percent in July

Apartment sales have soared around 15 percent in the first month of the new financial year, as the government announced that buyer's source of income would not be questioned under black money whitening scope.

Housing sector people say the scenario was reverse during January-March of 2009. The realtors blamed the ongoing global recession fallout for about 30 percent drop in sales at that time.

"The sector has overcome that bad time in July and now it enjoys around 15 percent growth in terms of sales," said Tanveerul Haque Probal, president of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB). "The scope of money whitening is one of the reasons."

Had the National Board of Revenue (NBR) already issued the SRO ((statutory regulatory order), such responses would have been much more.

The 2009-10 budget has allowed whitening black money through investing in more than 64 sectors, including housing.

Any person can legalise his or her black money by purchasing a single flat after paying a certain amount of tax fixed for per square feet. However this tax varies in line with the apartment location.

In a recent meeting with the finance minister, the industry insiders pointed to the sales growth.

"Definitely, it happens because of the money whitening scope," said Mohammad Abdul Awal, managing director of the Structural Engineers Ltd (SEL), a leading developer.

SEL has ongoing projects at Gulshan, Mohammadpur, Uttara, Mirpur, Indira Road, Malibagh and Shyamoli in Dhaka. Its project outside the capital is in Comilla. Earlier, apartment sales in city's posh areas dropped significantly in the first three months of the year.

Awal, a former president of REHAB, said customers queries are now coming from all parts of the city. "The queries are aplenty,” the SEL boss said.

An anti-graft drive during the caretaker government rule, which bound the intending buyers of flats to show their sources of incomes, pushed the sales down to over 40 percent.

Sayed Ismail Ali, managing director of Multiplan Development Ltd, who runs 13 housing projects in Dhaka, said customers' interests in buying apartments have doubled this month.

As many as 500 developers construct around 7000 flats every year on an average. The usual monthly sales hover around 600, but the March sales came down to 180. In the changed scenario, demand for apartments in July jumped to more than 800, according to the sectoral trade body.

Although sales go up, apartment price is yet to come down, rather in some cases it soared. The present prices range from Tk 8,000 to Tk 15,000 per square foot in posh areas, while the rates are between Tk 4,000 and Tk 5,000 in other areas.

The housing sector has contributed nearly 7.35 per cent to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in the financial year 2009. Some 2.0 million skilled and non-skilled persons are directly and indirectly involved in the sector.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=99414

Please tell how the water stagnation affects the operation of the subway. :)

Not sure how. But heavy rain or flooding never affects subway. At least till now. Probably they use a very efficient pumping technique. :)

Money-whitening scope pushes flat sales up

The new fiscal year has brought good news to real estate. Apartment sales increased around 15 percent in July

Apartment sales have soared around 15 percent in the first month of the new financial year, as the government announced that buyer's source of income would not be questioned under black money whitening scope.

Housing sector people say the scenario was reverse during January-March of 2009. The realtors blamed the ongoing global recession fallout for about 30 percent drop in sales at that time.

"The sector has overcome that bad time in July and now it enjoys around 15 percent growth in terms of sales," said Tanveerul Haque Probal, president of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB). "The scope of money whitening is one of the reasons."

Had the National Board of Revenue (NBR) already issued the SRO ((statutory regulatory order), such responses would have been much more.

The 2009-10 budget has allowed whitening black money through investing in more than 64 sectors, including housing.

Any person can legalise his or her black money by purchasing a single flat after paying a certain amount of tax fixed for per square feet. However this tax varies in line with the apartment location.


As I thought, a lot of the "chors" drive up prices with the black money they "earned?"

Not sure how. But heavy rain or flooding never affects subway. At least till now. Probably they use a very efficient pumping technique. :)

We should have no problem too then. Has the Kolkata metro succeeded in decreasing traffic congestion significantly?

As I thought, a lot of the "chors" drive up prices with the black money they "earned?"


Well I think at the end of the day it is benefitting bangladesh if these money is invested in the country. I mean this is probably sheilding a lot of real estate businesses from recession and thus saving a lot of jobs....

but ethically definately wrong...

There is something in it for Zia Family.....

We should have no problem too then. Has the Kolkata metro succeeded in decreasing traffic congestion significantly?

Surely it is helping the traffic a lot but not sure how much because it has not been well surveyed. IR has done a good job technically but state govt has failed to implement many things. Ex - Govt could not stop thousands of private/govt buses, autos which are operated on the same route with the metro line. Govt could not start feeder bus services from most of the metro stations. These are very important factors which should be taken care while implementing a metro railway system.

The new Tollyganj – Garia Bazar(approx 8 km) elevated line which is going to be inaugurated probably on the next month. It will be very interesting to watch the situation after this. This should reduce the huge traffic on Sealdah(mainly IR Sealdah south section commuters). Most of the people from Sealdah south line can get down at Garia Stn and can take metro for Central/North kolkata). And finally Sealdah can take a breath. :lol:

Well I think at the end of the day it is benefitting bangladesh if these money is invested in the country. I mean this is probably sheilding a lot of real estate businesses from recession and thus saving a lot of jobs....


Real estate is the biggest employer in Bangladesh right after garments----over 2 million people work in this sector.

^^ I suppose you are excluding traditional areas like agriculture and fishing? Those must still employ more than modern industries.

Pics by khansadi:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/khansadi1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/khansadi2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/khansadi3.jpg

Baitul View Tower looks complete (photos by m alif apu):

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/malifapu2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/malifapu.jpg

Where exactly is Baitul View tower? Also anyone has latest pics of the minars that were under construction at Baitul Mukkaram mosque? I would really love to have our national mosque beautification and expansion work completed sooner than later..

^^ Baitul View Tower is very close to the Baitul Mukarram Mosque, so i guess it wont be hard to find :)

Where exactly is Baitul View tower?

Right across from the mosque, on the northern side of Purana Paltan (Topkhana) Rd.

Also anyone has latest pics of the minars that were under construction at Baitul Mukkaram mosque? I would really love to have our national mosque beautification and expansion work completed sooner than later..

Pics of the renovation are (surprisingly) very hard to come by. Check the link below for a recent pic of the new minaret and south gate, which I guess are now more or less complete. When I first heard that they were adding a minaret to the mosque, I thought that this addition might spoil the unique appearance of the building, but thankfully that has not been the case.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbelalbd/3793216348/

The south courtyard, where previously there were a garden and reflecting pool with fountains, has been paved over. The pic below is from a year or so ago, I think (in fact, I think you can see the top of Baitul View Tower peeking out from behind the mosque :) ):

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/mizbiplob2.jpg

The east courtyard now sports a roof (it was previously open to the sky). Most pics I have seen of the roof are from above and from that angle it does not seem to harmonize very well with the rest of architecture. However, I'll reserve judgement until I see the final product from ground level. Harmonious or not, the roof should be beneficial for worshipers by offering some protection from the elements.

I don't know what, if anything, is being done to the interior. I certainly wouldn't mind some changes...the interior is very reminiscent of 1960s Bangladesh / East Pakistan style...which is certainly not my favorite.

Large perimeter walls are being constructed...I do not know if this is just a wall or contains or rooms as well. Pics of this can be found in various places, if you search a little.

^^ Thanks for the update, the minaret seems complete. But I am yet to see pics of the whole completed structure (i.e the actual Baitul Mukkaram mosque with the minaret). Maybe one of our Dhaka reps can take some shots? that will be awesome

Following is a pic of the minaret by Ershad Ahmed:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZPf1HUBNpK4/SUJP0uYQNTI/AAAAAAAAOVw/pFH4r2t0n4o/s1600/6463.jpg

^^ Not sure if, from the south side (i.e. Bangabandhu Ave) whether it is possible to see the main mosque any more, due to the height of the new wall and gate. I think, in order to have both the main block and minaret in the same shot, it would need to be taken from above ground level.

^^ Not sure if, from the south side (i.e. Bangabandhu Ave) whether it is possible to see the main mosque any more, due to the height of the new wall and gate. I think, in order to have both the main block and minaret in the same shot, it would need to be taken from above ground level.

Thanks for sharing these pics Tan---too bad I still havent been able to give you guys a proper update of the construction going on in and around Motijheel:ohno:

^^ its ok, ppl are afraid of the traffic jam there ;)

Some recently taken shots


http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01241.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01240.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01238.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01138.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01125.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01217.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01212.jpg

Great as usual Mirza. If you are leaving BD then start training an apprentice, pronto!

^^
haha I was thinkin about tht too, if Mirza is leaving, whos gonna take pics for us?? Mirza, make sure u appoint an ambassador when u leave abroad ;)

^^
haha I was thinkin about tht too, if Mirza is leaving, whos gonna take pics for us?? Mirza, make sure u appoint an ambassador when u leave abroad ;)

Thanks guys...Since there is a very good possibility that I will be leaving by Dec 2009,I think we need to find some one fast.I was hoping we could divide the reponsibility between "Dhakaiya" and possibly "Sas"....but I dont know if Dhakaiya will be leaving too or if Sas will be willing to take the shots:nuts:

^^ get ur brother to sign up for SSC :P

^^
Clone Mirza! :D

^^ hahaha nice idea XD

^^ get ur brother to sign up for SSC :P

Haha..my bro is about 6 years older than me,so he is busy trying to take care of family business.In other words,he cannot be the "clone" mirza:lol:

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1250361906-clip-658kb.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2467/3798596770_c53a9a7efb_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3463/3779717427_e26017f08e_b.jpg

by noprayer4dying

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2474/3808253513_f6dd198d6b_b.jpg

by Aisha habib

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3467/3781992265_cfeed10be9_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3462/3814534002_375c527a87_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3813789541_2a7249d4e2_b.jpg

Great stuff Amar

Nice pics mirz and amar

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1250816284-clip-330kb.jpg

I like the shot of Nagar Bhaban in post 146...seldom see one these days with blue skies...usually the sky just appears as a hazy blur that does not look good in photos. Also, those are some nice new shots of Bashundhara interior. Does anyone know if any attempt is being made to repair the sections damaged by fire?

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1250816284-clip-330kb.jpg

I think that red building is the American embassy.

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1250816284-clip-330kb.jpg

Does this indicate the border between Dhaka and its neighboring district ?

^^ ehmm nope not really, whatever u r seeing in the picture is Dhaka city and its outskirts.

^^ Dhaka will end up expanding that way anyway. On the bank of the river is where I think Boshundhara Baridhara riverview prokolpo is being established.

^^
isnt that project near the bank of Buriganga river?? Cuz that picture is showing the eastern areas of Dhaka city.

Hahaha...not at all. Its called BoshundharaBaridharariver view prokolpo. Boshundhara Jomuna Prokolpo will also be in the same area

You're probably thinking about Sikder riverview plot.

Mirza you inspired me from your extensive postings in the Dhaka Projects Thread. :lol:

Here are numerous shots by Florence.R

Rapa Plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3033/3095372442_45022cd7a4_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/3094530509_eff77cfce0_o.jpg

Eastern Plaza

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251081418-clip-130kb.jpg

Motalib Plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3081/3095372172_0fdff93eb0_o.jpg

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251081588-clip-294kb.jpg

Eastern Plaza

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251081654-clip-403kb.jpg

Basundhara City Dec 2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3095368266_b2b67cf2c6_o.jpghttp://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251082030-clip-343kb.jpg

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251082085-clip-389kb.jpg

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251081750-clip-356kb.jpg

Nandan Deparment market

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251082382-clip-231kb.jpg
http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251082308-clip-320kb.jpg

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251082275-clip-366kb.jpghttp://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251082346-clip-382kb.jpg

There are hundreds of pictures of this series, I gotta take some time to sort them out and post them.

Mirza you inspired me from you extensive postings in the Dhaka Projects Thread. :lol:


Haha...keep them coming bro:cheers:

^^
good updates Amar ;)

Here are some shots I recently took

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01359.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01360-1.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01352.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01396.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01399.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01390.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01391.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01353.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01377.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01376.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01375.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01403.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01354.jpg

^^ Good stuff, Mirza. Where is the third pic...Mohakhali? Also, what is the tall building a little to the right of the other tall buildings in the second to last pic?

^^ Good stuff, Mirza. Where is the third pic...Mohakhali? Also, what is the tall building a little to the right of the other tall buildings in the second to last pic?

Yep,that third pic is of Mohakhali.
The tall building in the second to last pic is "sweet dreams" hotel at Banani...expect a twice as tall building to rise out in the middle of "wall of banani skyscrapers" and "sweet dreams hotel" in the form of "32 storied unique-dcc complex"

Here are some shots I recently took


http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01376.jpg



-Great set of pics Mirza. :cheers:

-This building has a simple design yet it looks very attractive.

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251082085-clip-389kb.jpg

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1251081750-clip-356kb.jpg

What's this daily bandwidth exceeded?

^^ Anyone else having problems? I gotta get a new photobucket account then.

Where is this place?

^^ Anyone else having problems? I gotta get a new photobucket account then.

I can see them. Many of Tmac's old pictures have this problem though...I wish I had saved some of the nicer ones...I think I did have them on my old hard-drive that crashed some time ago...but not on my current one.

^^
great updates Mirza bhai :)

More from Florence.R

Prince Plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/3094528893_2c660f3f6c_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3094528995_9a0e5e710e_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3142/3095370912_263ec668f2_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/3095371026_ccfb8f3fc6_o.jpg

Metro Plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/3094528415_c36b886e2c_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/3095370520_cbc8a3cf15_o.jpg

Hussain Plaza, Mirpur Road

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/3094528311_2738fd7a61_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3163/3095370092_154323b39b_o.jpg

Rapa Plaza, Dhanmondi

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/3095369974_c87aca1eba_o.jpg

unknown

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/3095369792_0f5711d998_o.jpg

^^
that unknown is Ibn Sina Hospital, Dhanmondi.

^^ Back when I lived in Dhaka...if my memory serves me right...I think Ibn Sina was somewhere by the lake...near where the "boat house" is today.

Photos by saltydogtaylor. Some of the new developments in Motijheel including renovation / expansion of Baitul Mukarram are visible.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/3862670238_a65a9575c4_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2460/3862664908_827b442cf2_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/3861877355_330e257d16_b.jpg

More by saltydogtaylor. The mosque with the attractive minaret next to Nagar Bhaban is new to me!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2472/3862638096_a7db6a6c3a_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2434/3862633028_5af867610e_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2641/3861835031_f29bfae0ae_b.jpg

^^
Great update Tan.
Motiheel and its surrounding areas are getting many projects,but the traffic condition there has to improve.Unlike other areas,big number of buses and rickshaws plying the streets together in Motijheel creates the mess.Suprisingly,the presence of private cars in the area is extremely low.

^^ Ahhh, Chaos.

by d3w

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3468/3860729065_c88c8d7106_o.jpg

^^
no wonder Mirza doesnt go there , in Motirjheel :P

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2435/3859496424_ab91087aa0_b.jpg

by navid bin sakhawat

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/3862994719_1e5cd82447_b.jpg

by navid bin sakhawat

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3512644366_e41d183710_b.jpg

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By sabbir17

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/1251451484-clip-292kb.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/1251451404-clip-238kb.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/1251451455-clip-366kb.jpg

^^
gulshan and mohakhali area i guess.

Some Motijheel grit and color...photos by Saltydogtaylor. Out of curiosity to anyone who knows...what make / model is the car at the right of the first photo?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/3861861859_0f9af1e161_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2447/3862680080_faa385dfa0_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2554/3862675132_72b76027b1_b.jpg

^^
That car is Toyota Crown, a lovely one :D

^^
That car is Toyota Crown, a lovely one :D

Actually that is a Mark 2 2002 model,lol.Its the predecessor of present day "Mark X" that Toyota offers now.

Those are some nice pictures Amar,its always a pleasure to see pics of Dhaka at night.Not too many photographers[including me] are equipped to deliver them.

The Secretariat double deckers painted in primary colors look like kids toys. Battered just like most kids toys..

I was wondering why buildings in Bangladesh are fungus covered so quickly whereas in Malaysia and Singapore which are more humid, you don't see it as much.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3468/3860729065_c88c8d7106_o.jpg

Is this during Iftar time? I haven't seen so little traffic on our roads except when everyone leaves town during the Eids.

The Secretariat double deckers painted in primary colors look like kids toys. Battered just like most kids toys..

I was wondering why buildings in Bangladesh are fungus covered so quickly whereas in Malaysia and Singapore which are more humid, you don't see it as much.

Probably not too many of our buildings - particularly the older ones - have regular exterior cleaning...also the quality of materials except for the best buildings, may also not confer as much resistance to mold / mildew. Previously attractive highrises like Janata Bank look as though never repainted once in their existence. But, I'm just guessing on those. Out of curiosity...I know Malaysia and Singapore are tropical, but do they have a rainy season comparable to ours?

Probably not too many of our buildings - particularly the older ones - have regular exterior cleaning...also the quality of materials except for the best buildings, may also not confer as much resistance to mold / mildew. Previously attractive highrises like Janata Bank look as though never repainted once in their existence. But, I'm just guessing on those. Out of curiosity...I know Malaysia and Singapore are tropical, but do they have a rainy season comparable to ours?

I don't think they have a monsoon season like ours, as it rains almost every day of the year. Here's a link:
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/159/climate/South-East-Asia/Malaysia.html

I was wondering why buildings in Bangladesh are fungus covered so quickly whereas in Malaysia and Singapore which are more humid, you don't see it as much.

Most of the buildings that u see covered with fungus are prolly pretty old ones,built by developers who have never bothered to clean em after the handover.However,many of the recently built office buildings are maintained pretty well,I sometimes see workers cleaning glass and exterior of newly built towers.Another good thing is,these days,office towers are being rented out instead of being sold,that means--towers are likely to be better maintained in order to keep the building attractive to the tenants.

Most of the buildings that u see covered with fungus are prolly pretty old ones,built by developers who have never bothered to clean em after the handover.However,many of the recently built office buildings are maintained pretty well,I sometimes see workers cleaning glass and exterior of newly built towers.Another good thing is,these days,office towers are being rented out instead of being sold,that means--towers are likely to be better maintained in order to keep the building attractive to the tenants.

Should be a thing of the past, now that most of the (newer) commercial buildings are mostly glass and metal.

Actually that is a Mark 2 2002 model,lol.Its the predecessor of present day "Mark X" that Toyota offers now.

Oh yeah, thanx for the correction hehe, I was confused with the front grille and headlamps lol, Crown or Mark 2 :D

Is this during Iftar time? I haven't seen so little traffic on our roads except when everyone leaves town during the Eids.

Maybe Mirza is driving down there :D

Maybe Mirza is driving down there :D

Hehe...keno..ami ki iftaar er shomoy iftaar khai na?:nuts:

^^
mone hoi garite pack kore niye khao aar chalao :D

Is this during Iftar time? I haven't seen so little traffic on our roads except when everyone leaves town during the Eids.

Well its the Uttara highway and as seen in the picture pretty spacious (4 lanes on both side). Could also be during the weekends.

^^
mone hoi garite pack kore niye khao aar chalao :D

It would suck to get Jilapi rosh all over your car seats.

Well its the Uttara highway and as seen in the picture pretty spacious (4 lanes on both side). Could also be during the weekends.

Actually, I see 5 lanes on the right side, and 3 lanes on the left side of the road :D

It would suck to get Jilapi rosh all over your car seats.

oshubida nai, garir seat o to roja rakhse, so takeo kisu khawaite hobe :D

Looks like Motijheel has a new highrise in the guise of a cellphone :)

Does anyone know what the building under construction immediately to the left of the stadium (and in front of Nagar Bhaban in this view) is? It has a large footprint and has been under construction for several years now.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/3874358017_94c565c5a1_b.jpg

by Florence.R

Keari Plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/3094527865_c29428ce6f_o.jpg


RANGS Plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/3094527727_ec8a82aac8_o.jpg

Rifles Square Mall

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/3095368982_996666e7d6_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/3095369194_c310cd1c47_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/3094527561_85714d53e7_o.jpg

Refaetullah Shopping Center

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/3094527145_899dee4c5e_o.jpg

A.R.A Center

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3068/3094526775_2951c253d4_o.jpg

Capital Plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3042/3094526677_80d3648b43_o.jpg

Basundhara City Mall

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3095368266_b2b67cf2c6_o.jpg

Concord Arcadia

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/3094526487_30e5201765_o.jpg

Orchard Plaza

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/3095368076_cb49be8516_o.jpg

By Solenkhi


http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/amar11372/UTC_18floor_Panorama1.jpg

Love those pics...keep them coming Amar,ur doing an excellent job:cheers:

First pic - World Bank Country Office, Agargaon; second pic - BIAM complex, New Eskaton; third pic - T&T Annex Revenue Building, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Pics from pblbd.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pbl1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pbl4.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pbl6.jpg

btw Amar bro, arent u actually supposed to post those shopping malls' pics in the 'shopping mall' thread?? :)

btw Amar bro, arent u actually supposed to post those shopping malls' pics in the 'shopping mall' thread?? :)

No reason why there can't be overlap. In fact, a Cityscapes thread without such nice buildings as Bashundhara City, would be somewhat diminished.

btw Amar bro, arent u actually supposed to post those shopping malls' pics in the 'shopping mall' thread?? :)


I will post them in that thread too.

Sorry for being away for a while guys,actually my pc crashed and I lost a lot of files/drivers/pics:ohno:
Anyways,I go for a walk almost everyday[mostly without my camera,lol],but many of the shots below were taken while walking,to show you all the "views" from the sidwalks.Enjoy:cheers:


A Walk through Gulshan Avenue

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC06034.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC01446.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC05853.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC06053.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC06046.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC06032-1.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC06036.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/mirzazeehan/DSC06035.jpg

Thanks as always Mirza. That second shot ranks among your best.

Welcome back Mirza bro, so thts the reason uve been away I see, I thought u wanted to run away from SSC :D, when i meet u in BD Inshallah, we should take a walk aswell :)

Welcome back Mirza bro, so thts the reason uve been away I see, I thought u wanted to run away from SSC :D, when i meet u in BD Inshallah, we should take a walk aswell :)

Thanks for welcoming me back with open arms:lol:

We will definitely take a walk Manazir,just let me know when u arrive.and no,i didn't try to escape from u guys:nuts:

^^
check ur baksho btw :P

Pics by bbcwstbd:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2513/3895049397_89cf447ab8_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3444/3895771430_324863a6ae_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3510/3895775138_10818a1dc9_b.jpg

^^ What an example of juxtaposition.

Banani (Rd no:11):
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu210/Raheen/20082009788-1.jpg

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu210/Raheen/20082009790-1.jpg

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu210/Raheen/20082009789-1.jpg

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu210/Raheen/20082009793-1.jpg

nice pictures Equinox2.

^^ What an example of juxtaposition.

Thats what makes Gulshan Banani area look ugly!! I wish those slums were demolished for good. It reminds me of pictures of Mumbai, Sao Paolo etc where there is tall apartments on one side and slums on the other!

^^ I would love to see that area made into a park, as originally intended. True also that some outsiders use shots like that to make condescending or hypocritical statements. But I also think such photos highlight that we are not a static country...progress is gradually chipping away at poverty.

^^ True, I have seen pictures of this exact picture in numerous foreign publications to show the inequality on Bangladesh. I wish the real estate companies would buy up this land and build more skyscrapers, like they are doing in Mumbai.

Great shots Equinox,I sure hope u got a lot more coming

^^. But I also think such photos highlight that we are not a static country...progress is gradually chipping away at poverty.

Thats a good way to look at it:cheers:

^^ True, I have seen pictures of this exact picture in numerous foreign publications to show the inequality on Bangladesh.

I remember a time not so long ago...if doing a google image search on Dhaka, the first pic to show up would be the view out of Sonargaon Hotel looking at the slums by Hatirjheel next to the midrises there. If you clicked on the clink, this guy would be writing some nonsensical moral on inequality. As if he was bothered by the fact that there are people actually living a decent standard of life in BD...as if he would be more happy if everyone was living in a slum. Since Sonargaon was the best hotel in the city at that time, it was also a commonly photographed view. Now of course those slums are gone with the Hatirjheel improvement and beautification projects...but Sonargaon is also not what it used to be...one reason I think we no longer see that particular shot turning up on the net (probably fewer foreigners staying there).

I wish the real estate companies would buy up this land and build more skyscrapers, like they are doing in Mumbai.

But Govt should make accomodations for these people, not just chuck them out. They are there to fulfill a need...probably to service jobs that directly or indirectly support the lifestyle of those on the other side of the lake.

I feel pity for the slum dwellers but one thing we must admit is that slums are the hubs of crime in the city.

^^ But simply razing slums won't cure crime, it would simply relocate it. First thing would be to build affordable but respectable housing elsewhere, with adequate transportation to jobs, and some security framework...it would be nice if the wealthy neighbors of the slums would contribute to construction of such dwellings, since they would be mutually beneficial. Of course ultimately responsibility rests with GOB, but it is burdened by its own corruption and the lack of a meaningful taxation system in the country to raise funds for such endeavours.

The area of the slum was intended as a park and that is how I would like for it to stay if the slum were to be removed. HIghrises would be nice but Banani needs green spaces.

by Mostafiz2009

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3895469649_0919c6585a_b.jpg

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3895468035_615b5935f2_b.jpg

^^ But simply razing slums won't cure crime, it would simply relocate it. First thing would be to build affordable but respectable housing elsewhere, with adequate transportation to jobs, and some security framework...it would be nice if the wealthy neighbors of the slums would contribute to construction of such dwellings, since they would be mutually beneficial. Of course ultimately responsibility rests with GOB, but it is burdened by its own corruption and the lack of a meaningful taxation system in the country to raise funds for such endeavours.

The area of the slum was intended as a park and that is how I would like for it to stay if the slum were to be removed. HIghrises would be nice but Banani needs green spaces.

Fully agree with Tan. You couldn't have phrased this better.

Fully agree with Tan. You couldn't have phrased this better.
from they way i see it the new dhaka will start from purbachol in 10 years i hope it has some brething space i'd hate to see 10 five storied building clustered together in road instead i'd like to see one 30 storied building in a road with parks around it, to sustain bd we have no other way but going up. that way we save more land for cultivation and require less roads

Like the pic in post 246.