A post-exam refreshment in Jashore

After a long journey of almost three months, the finals were over, and we, four students from DU Economics, planned to venture out of Dhaka for refreshment. This was our opportunity to effectively get rid of the burnt-out state that we had to endure during the exams. We chose Jashore as some of us have familial connections there, as well as due to the historical relevance and infrastructure of the city.

We started our journey quite early in the morning from Malibagh. Due to the advent of Padma Shetu, it has become convenient for people to travel to the Khulna and Barisal divisions, which used to be a hassle even a few years ago.

The journey was smooth, and we reached Jashore way earlier than anticipated. After reaching Jashore and having a heavy feast, we ventured out to travel and go around the city, especially some of the important landmarks, such as the building of the Deputy Commissioner, which is one of the most famous landmarks of the city, standing upright for about 150 years; the Government Michael Madhusudan College, an institution that used to be one of the premier places of learning in Khulna division, along with Brojo Lal College from Khulna, when higher education was relatively inaccessible for the common masses.

The architecture of those places was mesmerising and reminded us of a bygone era. We also happened to relish the street food carts that were situated around these places and near the famous 'Doratana Mor', one of the most notable geographical markers of Jashore City. The street food of Jashore City was not only exponentially cheaper compared to Dhaka but also the quality and hygiene-related issues were well taken care of, something we seldom find in Dhaka. As we became drained after a long day of journey and strolling, we went to our respective places for a long night's sleep as we had a busy schedule ahead of us in the next two days.

The next day, we woke up early and went out to a village situated at the edge of Jashore Sadar Upazila and Chougacha Upazila, named Churamonkathi, as one of the four of us has their ancestral home in that village. The journey took little time, and in the meantime, we enjoyed the scenic, rustic beauty that is idiosyncratic to all the districts of Bangladesh. After reaching the village, we had a heavy lunch and went out for a walk in the areas nearby. There were a lot of date trees around the village, which is characteristic of Jashore, as Jashore produces a lot of authentic 'Nolen Gur'.

After the light walk, we went to the Jashore University of Science and Technology, which was not far away. The cleanliness and the relative order that persisted in the university made us awestruck.

The next day was the final day of our tour, and we started the day by having our breakfast at 'Jolojog', a must-visit place for someone visiting Jashore. We had our breakfast with the delicious Shobji and Luchi from the place, something that remained on our tastebuds even after returning to Dhaka.

Afterwards, later that day, we went to the Monihar Cinema Hall to watch a movie and immerse ourselves in the vibe of a vintage cinema hall. Monihar exceeded our expectations, as we thought it to be a dilapidated old cinema hall at the beginning. Then we had our lunch, and after strolling around the city, we visited the Jashore Airport, which added a new terminal recently and was donning a new look. The airport looked tidy, and the infrastructure nearby looked polished. There are a lot of places around the airport, which makes it one of the most visited places in the city.

After that, we had our supper at the popular Nazma Hotel of Jashore, which serves a type of 'Kala Bhuna' that is famous in the city. We returned to Dhaka the next day. In the morning, as we were travelling back, it seemed Jashore called us back, only if we could return for a few more days!

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