How to behave when you meet Bangladeshi

For a number of years the 'Goodmorning Bed & Breakfast', located in Bonani, has been a safe haven for visitors from many different countries. The guesthouse was suppose to be a training facility for young underprivilegde youth in Dhaka, and run by the Vialisa Foundation. However due to sickness of the founder of the foundation, the guesthouse had to close it's doors. An honest attempt to keep the guesthouse alive on a different location, with a legal status and a different management, turned out to be an idealistic, but impossible task.

So I decided to use this website for all you people who are planning to visit Bangladesh and can use some real life information about this city. I hope you find it usefull and if you do, please share and spread the word! We thank the people who have supported us and trusted us to be their host during their stay in crazy Dhaka.

Meeting people

meeting people from Bangladesh Men meet men and woman meet woman. That’s according to the Bangladeshi tradition. It’s advisable to remember that in Bangladesh there is still a huge difference between the position of woman and men.

Shake hands
A normal way to greet is by shaking hands (remember man/man, woman/woman). It is not custom for men to shake hands with a lady or even touch a lady in any way. Even in business it would be wise for a man (when he meets a lady) to wait until she extends her hand. Otherwise a knod with the head is as appropriate. The left hand is considered a 'dirty hand' and should never be used for hand shaking!

Greeting others
Most Bengali greet each other by saying 'Asalamu alaikum' and they respond by saying 'wa alaikum salam'. In my experience a simple 'hello' will do fine and in business it would even be appreciated if you just say 'Good morning, afternoon, night'. People of the same age address each other by first name. In business however it would be wise for you to wait until the Bengali addresses you by your first name.

Strict hierarchy
In Bangladesh age and position are the indicators. Older people are usually not addressed by name. Smiling during business meetings (or even in daily situations) is rare and seen as a sign of immaturity. So if you want people to take you seriously and respect you…don’t smile too much 

Where is the guesthouse?