Dhan, chal, bhat

The literal English translation of the title is "rice, rice, rice". It makes sense that there are multiple names for it in Bangla because one can see it in many forms on a given day. Dhan is rice still in the field. Right now the paddies are being planted in my area. As I ride through the villages on my bike, the sight all around me is small green plants popping up through water in the fields. Chal is rice after it has been harvested but still uncooked. It is often sold in huge 50 kg sacks. Finally bhat, as you might have guessed, is the fluffy white stuff you eat. I eat bhat at least twice a day here. Bangladeshis aren't satisfied with a meal unless they have eaten rice. A common way of asking someone if they have had their meal is saying "Apni bhat kheyechen?" (lit.: "Have you eaten rice?") Sometimes people ask me what my parents do. I tell them my mom is a teacher and my dad is a farmer. A common question is "Oh, how much rice does your father grow?"

In Bangladesh, rice is the undisputed staple food. The per capita consumption here is higher than anywhere in the world. I've read that 70% of the average Bangladeshi's caloric intake is from rice. It's hard to describe the reliance on rice here. It also gives a new definition to what food security means for the people here. If the price of rice goes up even 10 or 15 taka (15 or 23 cents) per kg, people starve. If the rains come late or a cyclone hits the south, people starve.

When I first came to Bangladesh, I was overwhelmed a bit with the amount of rice I was expected to eat. In Canada I would eat rice a few times a week. I thought that was a lot. Now when I tell Bangladeshis that I might eat rice 2-3 times per week in Canada, they laugh at me. They can't believe that we survive on bread, noodles and corn.

But there's a lesson to be learned here. In Canada, we eat because it tastes good. A side effect is that it keeps us alive. Here, its the other way around. I used to crave food from home, but now I'm fine with rice twice a day. Because nothing keeps your belly fuller than a big plate of bhat.