Fridays feel like a celebration in Dhaka

When you are an adult and have to work every day, you get excited at the very possibility of a day off. Friday brings that blissful feeling that most people wait eagerly for, and it feels much stronger in Dhaka.

Friday feeling before Friday

The impending Friday vibe starts brewing from the afternoon of Thursday. By the time the offices close and people step out of work, you can tell Friday is coming from the look of the traffic.

A large number of people go out of Dhaka for the weekend. And it is evident by the overwhelming traffic on Thursday afternoon. People go to their office with a carry-on bag or a small backpack that they eagerly eye the whole day before finally leaving Dhaka at the end of their shift. Thursday has this suppressed festive feeling that can be seen on people's faces.

Even if people do not go outside of Dhaka for the weekend, the wait for Friday is cherished fondly all the same. I have heard younger people discuss their morning motivations — "I count my days by how many days left till Friday," one of them said, and it felt very real. Another said that the knowledge that 'Friday is tomorrow' is more relaxing that Friday itself.

The start of Friday

You can tell it's Friday by how slow the morning starts. Most shops do not open till 9:30 or 10 AM. Except the wet market, which starts early but doesn't quite pick up that buzz till later. Even the tea stalls that open at dawn do not open early on Fridays. Everyone wants to get an extra hour of sleep on Friday mornings, something that is missed so dearly yet remains elusive the rest of the week.

By 10 AM, it starts feeling like Friday because of the overwhelming crowd at the markets. People have their chores saved up and Friday is the day to take care of them. The noise and excitement at the butcher's shop, along with the pushing and shoving at the fish stalls are trademark Friday traits.

Then comes the excited rush of trying to finish your chores before the call for prayer at the mosque. The festive feeling of Friday is, in many ways, defined by the prayer.

Friday immersion

After the prayer, Friday becomes a little bit drowsy and recovers with a nap. By the time the sun begins to go down, Friday starts to put on its festive face. Street vendors begin setting up their lights and food carts, traffic begins to slow due to the increase in crowd, and the hangout places slowly start filling up.

People go to parks and other points of interests with their friends and family. Many go shopping. Many are happy sitting at the local tong with a cup of tea and their friends.

"I come here only on Fridays, all the way from Aftabnagar. The only purpose is to meet up with my friends and attend the weekly adda because otherwise it's tedious," said one Shihabur Rahman. "The rest of my friends reside around Mirpur, so I don't mind the little commute," he explained, stating how often he comes to Mirpur and sits by "Love Road" for their weekly hangouts.

These Friday activities are a little bit different for everyone. But the essence is more or less the same. It's either the saved-up chores, or hangouts, or just pamper themselves. Whatever it is, Fridays are festive all over the country, but in Dhaka, you can really feel the weekend vibe.