Sadia Islam

When I was a kid, play just happened. There were backyards, rooftops, under mango trees and on the streets. Now, as a teacher in Dhaka and a mother of two, I see how much effort it takes to give kids what we once received for free: space to move, make noise, and be unapologetically young.

If you grew up in a Bangladeshi home, you know our furniture has lived in two shades forever: “wood” and “slightly darker wood.” From glossy mahogany varnish that yellows over time to MDF covered in wood-grain stickers, our interiors often look like a forest that forgot to evolve. Functional, sure but monotonous.

Owning a pet in Dhaka has always meant companionship, warmth, and a fair bit of chaos. But as the city has traded courtyards and rooftops for high-rise apartments, pet ownership has become more complicated.I’ve had animals all my life, from dogs and cats to, at one point, more birds than I could count.