A brief history of the creation of the Dhakaiya Kutti language and community

Dhaka has been developed on the bank of the Buriganga River. Since Dhaka was the capital, people would inevitably come here. Whenever someone came here, he expressed his own aspirations and spoke in his own language. People from many regions, coming together, have developed a new language surrounded by Dhaka’s ancient town, as they communicate in their own language. This newly created language with unique characteristics is called the ‘Kutti’ language.

The original inhabitants of ancient Dhaka still speak in that ‘Kutti’ language. Although many people may consider the ‘Kutti’ language as the original language of ancient Dhaka, it is not the ancestral language of the indigenous people of Dhaka. The creation of the ‘Kutti’ language took place as a continuous process of artistic expression by a group of people who came from outside Dhaka. Who are the creators of this new language? Where did the people who contributed to the creation of this new language come from? What historic information do we have about their thoughts and intellect?

A significant and intriguing amount of information has been discovered through historical exploration about the ‘Kutti’. Several other books including ‘Dhaka Panchas Baras Pahle’ (Dhaka 50 years ago) written by Hakim Habibur Rahman, ‘Glimpses of old Dhaka’ written by Syed Muhammed Taifoor, ‘Kingbadantir Dhaka’ written by Nazir Hossain, ‘Dhakaiyas on the Move’ written by Dr Hafiza Khatun, ‘Dhakai Upobhasa Probad-Probochon Koutuk Chara’ published by Bangladesh Asiatic Society and edited by Feroza Yesmin, ‘Rajdhani Dhakar 400 Bochor o Uttorkal’ (400 Years of Capital Dhaka and beyond) edited by Abdul Momin Chowdhury and Sharif Uddin Ahmed, the first volume of ‘Dhaka Kosh’ edited by Sharif Uddin Ahmed, ‘Dhakaiya Asil’ published by Bangla Academy and written by Anis Ahmed, ‘Andha Miyar Dhakaiya Bulir Bazar’ written by Malik Khasru PPM etc. have discussed various communities of ancient Dhaka, especially Kutti, Sukhbas, or subbasi, and delve into the origin, development and evolution of their language.

After thoroughly studying the topics mentioned in these books, we have come to know that the Mughal era is mainly the time of origin of the Kutti community and the Kutti language. From the mid-18th century onward, particularly in East Bengal, rice became a significant export commodity, and the capital of Bengal Subah, Dhaka, became a major center of trade and commerce. Rice exporters were the Marwaris and the people of central India. They used to collect paddy from different areas of East Bengal. The huge amount of paddy collected had to be threshed, winnowed, or processed. A considerable number of laborers were employed for the tasks of threshing and winnowing the rice. Laborers engaged in these rice-related tasks would come to Dhaka from the surrounding areas. The work of threshing and winnowing was labor-incentive. Therefore, the laborers did not leave Dhaka after the work was done. They began settling in the vicinity of Dhaka and started living nearby. Since those hard-working people were working together, sharing stories, and exchanging joys and sorrows, a language naturally developed among them. Due to their engagement in threshing and winnowing rice, Marwaris started calling them 'Kutti' briefly by dropping their original names. In the course of time, they became recognized as ‘Kutti’. In other words, the term ‘Kutti’ and the community’s identity originated from the work of threshing and winnowing rice.

We can learn from another piece of information that the emergence of the Kutti community as an ancient social class in the urban community of the capital city of Dhaka was due to the continuous natural disasters in 1700 AD. In April 1762 AD, due to a severe famine that occurred in Dhaka, a group of laborers from the central region of Dhaka came to settle in the Dholaikhal area of Dhaka. The main task of these laborers was threshing and winnowing rice from paddy. Laborers had to break bricks to construct buildings for the landlords who came to live in Dhaka. Those laborers were also involved in the task of breaking the brick for the construction. From their occupation of threshing and winnowing or breaking paddy or brick, the term ‘Kutti’ emerged as a new name for the community and remains in the society. Those remaining people are considered the original inhabitants of old Dhaka. They created their own language for their way of life and practical use. They might not have been aware that they were silently giving birth to a language or had already given birth to one. With the changes over time in Dhaka city, old Dhaka means the area inhabiting Kutti people. The Kutti language has adopted a new form and has found its place in today’s context. 

How much suitable is Dhaka city for electric vehicles?

Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh, but it is known to others as one of the most densely populated cities in the world. This city, with more than 21 million people, is continuously facing various obstacles. These include air pollution, traffic congestion, and the lack of reliability in the public transportation system. In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) have been considered an implicit solution to these problems. These vehicles are considered a cleaner and more effective alternative to conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. 

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The usage of electric-powered vehicles in Dhaka is still in its initial phases. The number of electric vehicles on the street is still very low. There are a few privately owned Tesla cars, but until now, electric vehicles have not been included as a category to be registered under the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

Still, Audi Bangladesh has launched its e-tron electric SUV and has become the first Bangladeshi automotive brand to officially unveil a Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV). At the same time, they have taken the official recognition of BRTA in the EV category as the first marketer.

It is an indication of a positive change in the attitude of the regulators towards EVs. However, is Dhaka ready to embrace this type of vehicle?

One of the biggest benefits of EVs is their low emissions. Electric motors in EVs do not produce any carbon emissions, which is an attractive option for a city like Dhaka that suffers from air pollution.

According to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution in Dhaka city is the cause of death for 12,000 people every year. As a result, it has become a serious problem for public health. If we move towards EVs, air pollution in Dhaka city will decrease significantly, and the health of its dwellers will improve.

Effectiveness is another positive side of EVs. Electric motors are more effective than internal combustion engines, meaning that EVs can go farther using the same amount of energy. As a result, this type of car is suitable for Dhaka’s congested roads, where most of the time, vehicles move very slowly, and gasoline-powered vehicles at this time burn a lot of fuel.

Moreover, EVs will become fully charged overnight. That means they can start their journey to their destination without stopping at any gas stations in the morning.

However, to become a reliable vehicle for Dhaka dwellers, EVs will have to overcome several obstacles. In that regard, one of the biggest challenges is the lack of infrastructure with charging facilities.

At present, there is no public charging station in Dhaka city, which has made it difficult for EV owners to charge their vehicles. According to the information received in December 2020, there are only 14 EV charging stations with a joint capacity of 278 kW across the country.

Fast charging through direct current commercially is not yet readily available in Bangladesh. A very small number of vehicles that are currently in operation are being charged this way with the residential charging arrangements.

For charging EVs at houses, it is possible to increase the number of high-voltage electrical lines. However, after the launch of the line, the users are paying a high price. Moreover, EV users would have to pay the bill at the rate of commercial establishments, which is much higher than that of residential buildings.

Another impediment is the high price of EVs. At this time, EVs are more expensive than conventional fuel-powered vehicles, putting them out of reach for many people in Dhaka. This is partly because of the high price of batteries, which make up a large part of the cost of EVs. However, as battery technology advances and the economic target is met, the financial cost of EVS is expected to fall.

Despite these drawbacks, in Dhaka city, the authority is taking several steps that will serve as a promotion to increase the use of EVs. For example, in recent times, the Bangladesh government has formulated a new automobile policy that aims to include more eco-friendly vehicles in the transport system. The government has set a target of at least 15% of registered vehicles being electric by 2030.

In the draft of the Automobile Industry Development Policy-2020, it has been said that a tax holiday has been recommended for investments made in the production of energy-efficient vehicles (EEVs).

Walton, one of the country’s marketers, has recently unveiled its e-bike lineup and is likely working on introducing an electric city bus.

Apart from Walton, several other organizations in the country are preparing to introduce locally manufactured two-wheeler EVs to the Bangladeshi market.

Indian automaker Omega Seiki has recently announced an investment of one billion rupees for the convenience of marketing electric vehicles in Bangladesh. Local auto manufacturer BD Auto is planning to manufacture three-wheelers for the domestic and international markets. 

Ten street foods in Dhaka Part 2

If we make a list of street foods then this list will never finish. It is because people’s taste changes continuously. As time passes, new food items are prepared by the street food sellers. I have already written a post about 10 street foods in Dhaka city. You can consider it as a sequel of the previous post. 

Green and ripe tamarind smash: Tamarind is a sour type fruit which brings water to our mouth. When Tamarind smash mixed with green chili, mustard oil, salt, pepper and different types of spices comes to our mind, it gives a different kind of feeling. Small businessmen have installed shops of this alluring spicy green and ripe tamarind smash on bucket, van or at selected places of the city. Keeping the convenience of customers in mind, some shopkeepers keep whole tamarind which is so alluring to see. It has vitamin C, mineral, protein and for having low fat, it is at the top of the choice of health conscious customers. 

Shrimp chop or shrimp fry: Shrimp chop made by lentil and shrimp and shrimp fry made by shrimp dipped into pea-flour and fried into deep oil are familiar foods to pedestrians. Shrimp chop is usually made by using lentil, onion, chili and spices with small sized shrimp. The nutrient rich lentil and the unique taste of the fish of this food bring variation to the taste in mouth. In the same way, the outer beauty and the popularity of shrimp fry with the taste of all-purpose flour and pea-flour is not less in any part. In the making of shrimp fry, big-sized shrimp and various types of spices are used. Aside from tourist attractions of Dhaka city, overflowing crowd of different ages of people in front of the shops selling shrimp fry in crowded areas is worth watching.

Vegetable roll: It is hard to find any person who does not like vegetable. After slightly boiling various types of vegetables including carrot, potato, cucumber, capsicum, peas etc., they are rolled inside the flour bread which looks great and delicious in taste. This business is profitable as vegetables are still comparatively cheap in our country. On an average, almost every vegetable roll is sold at Tk. 30 to 40. After frying it in deep oil, it looks bigger in size and it turns brown which makes it even more tempting and also delicious to eat.

Naan bread and grill: Among the savory and street foods, naan and grill are taking the top place in terms of popularity. Whether it is an afternoon meal or chit-chatting between friends, this food gives a different kind of satisfaction. This bread made inside a large charcoal furnace with white flour, soybean oil and baking powder looks quite bigger than ordinary bread. Grill, which is at the top of the popularity list of youth, is prepared by burning whole marinated chicken in a moderate heat by a machine. Most of the people enjoy naan bread, grill and salad in the afternoon meal.

Kacchi Biryani: “Kacchi biryani” is the name of a traditional food of Dhaka city. When we hear the name of Kacchi biryani, we feel the shiver of eating in our mind. It is a very familiar food among old Dhaka residents, including old, rich-poor and businessman. Kacchi biryani is sold from a large cooking pot in the market areas. During a break from work or at the end of a day’s work, a plate of Kacchi biryani fulfills the need of food. The scent of the biryani cooked with chicken or beef, various types of spices and Polar rice tells the taste of this food. Shopkeepers are doing profitable business by selling each plate of biryani at Tk 50 or more.

Noodles: Whether it is school Tiffin or afternoon meal, it is a name of a popular food in everyone’s favorite list. Using tomato, carrot, potato, capsicum, this inimitable food is cooked with different types of vegetables. For having demand among customers, shopkeepers have kept it in the list of different types of street food of Bengali food lovers. An egg with noodles always increases its nutrition as well as taste. Some people enjoy it very much with sour tomato sauce.

Green mango smear: At the end of spring, especially at the beginning of summer season, mango trees are covered with a lot of mangoes. This fruit filled in vitamin C is preferred by all people, irrespective of gender, race and class. When the view of mango smeared with mustard oil, kasundi, bit salt and green chili comes to our mind, it brings water to our mouth. Besides students of colleges and universities, this spicy food has made its place in the list of favorites of all ages of women. From cutting to smearing the mangoes, shopkeepers do everything throughout the season, and thus, showcasing the skill of their hands, attracting even more customers. This way, they can extend their business to a large extent. Lowest price starts from Tk 10 and sellers can sell in accordance with the customers’ demand. 

Boiled Chickpeas mixture: Among spicy foods, boiled chickpeas are more or less popular to everyone. The main ingredient of this food is boiled chickpeas which are mixed with boiled potato and other spices. The shopkeepers serve it in a different way. After all the ingredients are boiled, the shopkeepers serve it in front of the customer with cucumber, tomato, sliced onion, sliced green chili, sliced boiled egg and coriander leaves. This high-fiber food is beneficial for health because of having carbohydrate and it is also strength-enhancer. Shopkeepers with a small investment can do this business easily roaming from one place to another on a three-wheel van, or on a bucket or bowl.

Juice: Summer season means different types of fruit juice taking a wide possession among street foods. On the one hand, there is terrible heat of summer, and on the other hand, it is just the beginning of the seasonal fruits. Talking to the shopkeepers, it has come to be known that this business is very profitable from March to September of the year. Watermelon, green ripe mango, ripe bael, malta, orange, apple, grape, pomegranate and many other fruits rich in nutrition and mineral have made their place to the juice shops. Considering the demand of the customers, price and quality, each glass of juice is sold for minimum Tk. 20. Other street food shops remain crowded in the afternoon, but when it comes to juice, shopkeepers do good business from morning to night. 

Burger: Among the street foods and fast foods, burger is a very popular food item to all ages of people. This food with the taste of bread, butter, cucumber, tomato, lettuce and chicken fry has got more popularity in the afternoon meal or in the school Tiffin. Compared to famous restaurants, price of burger is inexpensive in the street side shops. That is the reason the crowd of burger loving people in front of these shops are worth watching. The tasty crispy chicken fry with mayonnaise increases the taste of the burger and makes it more tempting. Besides the students of school, college and university, burger is a popular name to people of all professions.

If you have any query then let me know in the comment box.

Ten street foods in Dhaka Part 1

Like many other countries, street foods are also becoming popular day by day in Bangladesh. List of street foods is increasing gradually in our country. Almost all types of foods are sold on the street. Taking health issue into consideration, street food sellers have become more cautious about cleanliness and try their best to provide hygienic food to their customers. Here is a list of 10 most popular street foods in Dhaka city. 

Ice cream: Summer season means exhaustion from overheat. Delightful food like ice cream is found in school, office or in the streets and other crowded places. From children to elders, people of all ages like to eat ice cream. There is hardly anyone who does not like to eat ice cream. Ice cream is one type of sweet liquid food which removes fatigue quickly and makes the mind cool, fresh and lively. It is basically made up of various items, including milk, fruit and chocolate. This awesome food is made by mixing pure drinking water and food color along with various fruit extracts, coconut and milk. It is a popular name among people not only in the country but also around the world. Some shopkeepers store it in an electronic fridge while others keep it in the ice box.

Sugarcane juice: This edible plant food is the only source of producing sugar. Rich in carbohydrate, protein and mineral, this drink is very popular in our country. In rural areas, some people call it ‘Gendari’ or ‘Kusor’, but it is known as ‘Aakh’ in urban areas. Soon after the arrival of spring season after the end of winter, the shopkeepers with the help of engine-run machine on a mobile vehicle extract sugarcane juice in the busy streets. At the end of the day, before returning home, people from all walks of life get their energy back to their bodies drinking a glass of sugarcane juice. It can be realized by seeing from closer. Because of having abundance of energy in sugarcane juice, it is a familiar and tasty drink to almost all classes of people besides the lower-class and middle-class people.

Boiled egg: The importance of egg is most in the list of protein-rich foods. Whether it is home or outside, it has value everywhere. Among street foods in our country, it is also at the peak of the list of favorite foods. If we look, we can see that there are more young students in the list of customers, especially those who come together to gossip after a session of study or the day’s work. It is as if a boiled egg fulfills the body’s protein need. Apart from local and broiler chicken eggs, there are duck eggs in the list of the shopkeeper. Each egg is sold for a price ranging from Tk 4 to 10. The sale and demand of egg is high in the winter compared to the summer season.

Spicy Aloo Dum: Potato is one of the vegetables used to prepare this dish. We cannot think of any curry without potato as an ingredient. Spicy chili aloo dum in the afternoon meal brings different taste to mouth. The taste and demand of this food can be understood seeing the crowd in this shop where all types of potatoes are boiled and fried with various types of spices. Among the tasty foods, this food has much popularity, especially among young people.

Chanachur mixture: Among tasty spicy foods, chanachur mixture is very delicious to eat. Whether it is winter or summer season, this business is a hit round the year. Chanachur mixed with green chili, cucumber, onion and mustard oil is one of the favorite food items among all ages of people. Talking to the shopkeepers, it has come to be known that it is one of the very profitable businesses that can be started with a small capital. As different types of vegetables and chanachur can be easily carried in a big silver plate, this business can be expanded by traveling from one place to another. As its price is affordable, everyone loves to eat it.

Shashlik: It is another popular street food made with the mixture of different types of vegetables and meat. This item is decorated with sliced cucumber and chronologically arranged with carrot, onion and meat pieces, and fried in oil. It is then served to the customers. Each stick or each piece is sold at Tk. 30. This very delicious food brings diversity to the afternoon meal. Generally, chicken meat is more used in Shashlik. Apart from ordinary people, university students are at the center of their target customers.

Corn: The pleasure of eating corn burnt in charcoal on the city streets gives a different kind of feeling. It is one of the most delicious foods rich in carbohydrate. The tendency of eating burnt corn is seen more in the city street compared to village, especially in winter. The taste of corn burnt in charcoal is enjoyed by all ages of people. From the health standpoint, corn is beneficial for human body. This food filled with vitamin C, thiamine, mineral keeps heart healthy, remove anemia, helps in digestion and decreasing cholesterol level of human body. In the evening, the scenery of corn burning in charcoal fire and the popularity of the buyers at Rabindra Sarobar area of Dhaka city looks quite beautiful.

French fry: Potato is one of the most important vegetables of Bangladesh. French fry is a delicious food item made by potato which is very much in demand among the people. The scenario of this food fried in hot oil and served with sour Tomato sauce tells how much popular it is. This quality and nutritious food is widely known not only in Bangladesh but also all over the world. Rich in protein and carbohydrate, and useful to reduce lower blood pressure, this food is beneficial for human body. Because the price of potato is cheap in our country, shopkeepers can easily decide to do such a business with small investment. Fried in oil, the brown color of the French fry increases the temptation of the dish double.

Chicken, beef and various types of meat curry along with rice: Among the heavy dishes including chicken and beef curry and rice is the most important food in our country. But in the busiest city Dhaka, rice with meat curry has made its place in the street food. Rice takes its place in the lunch menu of working people across all profession. People of all classes can enjoy this food for having low price compared to well-furnished restaurant and spicy onion. It feels quite tasty to eat meat curry and lentil with rice. Main customers of this food are work-oriented people, especially those working in the market, office, driver of different types of vehicles and those who do not get enough time to take rest.

Coconut: When fatigue appears in the face of pedestrian and working class people, a glass of coconut water can remove this exhaustion. Among different types of street foods, green coconut water is taking the top position in the popularity list of people from all ages and walks of people. Shopkeepers sell small, medium and large sized coconuts in moveable carts in schools, colleges, university campuses, market areas, bus stands and other crowded places. Price of the coconut depends on size and the price starts from Tk 30 and each coconut is also sold for Tk 70 to 80. In the presence of potassium, magnesium and copper, it causes to refill the energy by rapidly increasing the immunity performance of the human body. Transparent water of green coconut and its soft white part inside bring back the refreshment of the mind and also works well as an antiseptic. 

If you have any query then let me know in the comment box.