Dhaka city seems to fall under a spell of work abstention mainly on occasions of big religious festivals. In the cases of big festivals, the spell continues for quite sometime, say less than a week. Shorter durations of such work abstentions for one reason or another are also considered as part of this cul-

This characteristic feature of metropolitan life is widely in evidence for any city dweller who chooses to stay back in the city without becoming part of the mass exodus which takes place on the eve of the festivals.

During the spell of work abstention. primarily due to the mass exodus of a large number of the city dwellers, a dramatic change takes place in the whole urban panorama. It is as if a magician, by exercise of his magical powers, throws the city life into a stupor. The once bustling city centres, throbbing with Intense activity and energy in diverse fields lose much of their hectic pace: most shops and commercial establishments keep their shutters down. Except for limited movements of men vehicles, the main city roads look somewhat deserted with the disappearance of the jostling crowds and horrendous traffic jams which used to bedevil the daily life of the citizens.

Such a departure from the normhl pattern of city life proves so attractive to one, normally exposed to the furor of civic life that one feels like attempting to experience a dose of unusual peace and tranquillity of the city environment at this time. This is possible if one takes a solitary ride on a rickshaw, through the previously ^congested roads like, for exam

pies, the Mlrpur Road. Elephant Road. Shahbag Avenue. Top-khana Road, North-South Road etc.

This picture is. of course, a transitory one, staying only for a day or two after the end of the Eid holidays. The city life is reactivated gradually as more shops open, more vehicles ply on the roads and the city dwellers after enjoying their holidays In their respective village homes trickle back to the city.

Some may feel that most city dwellers take a relatively long time to resume their normal activities after enjoying the holidays following the big festivals. Whatever be the substance of this feeling, the reality of the situation is that a vast majority of city dwellers are village-based. Having had their roots in the villages, people engaged in various occupations In the city, make a bee-line in large numbers for their village homes, resulting in temporary abstention from their work.

In this context, the culture of work abstention, as some call it. is considered undesirable in some quarters In view of our pressing need for accelerating the pace of our development activities In all spheres. But, as observers point out, there is a positive aspect to this phenomenon. The deserted city roads and the stalled business activities of the city dwellers are soon enlivened with people returning from their villages imbued with renewed zest and enthusiasm. From this angle, the so-called culture of work abstention, which is transitory in nature, has a great socio-economic significance for the city dwellers.