Tea! Rather than delving into its history, people generally contemplate the utility of this beverage, its distribution, and the stories, songs, and conversations that revolve around it.
From black tea, ginger tea, and milk tea, the popular beverage now also comes in jasmine flavour.
However, the sensation of sipping tea by the roadside, with eyes half-closed, could possibly be encapsulated in a single expression -- “Ah!”
In this cup of tea, storms of conversation rise and subside.
But can revolution occur too? Possibly.
At least, the efforts of one man towards this cause are visible in Dhaka's 5,200 markets and 5,300 streets.
In Dhaka's Shantinagar area, a man named Yasin Swapan runs a tea shop called "Biplobider Cha (Revolutionaries' Tea)”, a name that gives off a whiff of politics - a nostalgia for leftist ideology.
Why this name, and who is this Yasin Swapan?
Before answering these two questions, it is worth mentioning that "Biplobider Cha" is strictly for honest people only. Hence, the customer base for this shop is limited.
While everyone expands the scope of their business, Swapan has reduced his.
Once serving up to 1,200 cups daily, Yasin Swapan now sells only around 300 cups of tea every day.
Swapan believes that all humans begin their revolution from their mother's womb, and so did he.
Dhaka TribuneThe story of this politically conscious man, who has endured much hardship throughout his life, is long.
“I have done whatever was necessary to survive,” shared Swapan, adding that he had been a coolie, stitched shoes, driven vans on empty stomach, operated CNG-run auto-rickshaws, and even a local bus.
His tea shop's journey began in 2007.
“I used to be a driver back then. But I always dreamed of having something of my own. One day, I got a kettle from a nearby shop, took three litres of milk, and started making tea,” he reminisced.
The tea was well-received; people not only liked it but also showered me with praises, Swapan recalled, adding that encouraged by the positive responses, he brewed another two litres of tea that same day.
“The success of the first day, accompanied by a modest financial earning, marked the beginning of my journey. It was the enthusiasm and inspiration of the people that led to the establishment of what is now known as ‘Biplobider Cha',” he said.
With a funny smile on his face, Swapan reminisced of a past memory: "I thought of doing business regularly. My wife disagreed. One day, I stole her ‘deckchi (a cooking pot)' and placed it in my shop."
‘We call them communists'
Swapan shared his journey into communist politics: "One day, a person was assaulting me, illegally destroying my shop. Amid a crowd of hundreds, a single person protested on my behalf. It was then that the revolutionaries, leaders of the Communist Party, Manzurul Ahsan Khan, protested and stood beside me."
“I identified him as revolutionary. Later, I came to know he was from the Communist Party and then I came to know everyone; that is how my leftist journey began,” he said.
“In my belief, wherever humans dwell, oppression and exploitation exist, and it is there that the revolutionaries are born. We call them communists,” Swapan remarked.
“I have been a revolutionary since my existence began. I fought numerous circumstances and came into this world healthy. In that way, my blood carries revolution, and it cannot be silenced,” he added.
Dhaka TribuneLeftist or rightist, there is a plea for black tea in the political arena of Bangladesh.
When asked why he does not sell black tea in his shop, Swapan said: "Many things need refinement according to demand. Tea also needed refinement."
Swapan dreams of spreading this “Biplobider Cha” all over the country.
Customers laud unique experience
A regular customer of Swapan's “Biplobider Cha” talked to Dhaka Tribune. He is a retired engineer who has been visiting this shop for the past seven to eight years.
Pointing to the pictures of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro hanging in the shop, he said: "You do not usually see pictures of these gentlemen in a tea shop these days."
It is a unique experience while having a hot cup of tea, he remarked.
"The tea here is wonderful, the ambiance is good, and the owner is a man of taste. That is why I walk all the way here to his shop," he shared.
Many other customers echoed similar sentiments of satisfaction.