Bangladesh

Quotes and Feedback from our customers

March 2011:

"I have been planning to do a Meet the People tour for over ten years. This certainly lived up to expectations."

"An amazing experience, quite impossible to predict or describe."

When talking about the Producer and project visits - "This is what I went for and was not disappointed. Actually meeting the workers was really enlightening and encouraging." 

"Shamim was always pleasant, well informed and keen to explain about his country. He had the whole trip very well organised."

"We needed a comfortable vehicle with a good driver and we had both."

"I was very impressed by the Traidcraft Exchange SLIPP projects."

"It was great to visit groups whose products I have been selling for 27 years and newer groups too."

"It is impossible to say which was my favourite visit, they were all fascinating."

"The boat trip gave a fascinating picture of life along the river - it was relaxing and the stops gave another insight into life in Bangladesh."

"Hannan, our driver, was very good and helpful. I felt confident in his ability!"

March 2010:

"Fulfilled our hopes for the tour. Lots of interesting producer groups to visit. Very well organised by an impressive tour leader."

"Shamim was outstanding in his knowledge and willingness to talk about Bangladesh, both around Fairtrade and beyond."

"It was a very rewarding experience and I shall always feel privileged to have had this opportunity."

"Every aspect of this trip exceeded my expectations!"

"The country was beautiful and the people were all very welcoming. It was fascinating to understand how relatively small changes can make such a huge impact on people's lives." 

"Ubinig - delightful rural location; enthusiastic people; very interesting projects which we could experience directly as visitors, rather than just being told about them; very welcoming hospitality."

"Shamim was excellent, thoughtful, patient, knowledgeable and well organised with a great sense of humour."

"Can't fault Saddle Skedaddle!"

"We gained an insight into the history and culture of Bangladesh."


March 2009:

"It certianly lived up to all of the expectations I had after the briefing meeting. I think Bangladesh is a lovely country and Shamim is truly remarkable - what a lovely man. Nothing was too much trouble for him... The wonderful guides certainly add so much to a trip - Ranjith in India, Everlasting in Malawi and now Shamim, all remarkable men and such brilliant supporters of their countries"

"What an amazing trip that was!"

"Bangladesh is a most interesting country and we were pleased to see that fair trade has an important part to play in the lives of many of the poorest people" 

"It was encouraging to learn how the sons and daughters of many of the workers have been able to receive education, even to graduate leve, as a result of their mothers receiving a steady income"

"Thank you for a great trip to Bangladesh. It was an amazing experience"

"All producers and projects visited were very good, everyone went out of their way to give a warm welcome and show us what they were doing. We got a very  clear impression of the impacts the projects were having in improving their lifestyle"

"Shamim was an exccellent host. He went well beyond the call of duty to ensure all of our needs were met"

"Traidcraft obvioulsy work hard and form long term relationships with producers. It was good to see this myself"

"A wonderful opportunity to meet people supplying Traidcraft products which I have in my home and have been selling for 30 years"

"It was useful to visit the Freedom Fighters Museum and the language monument to set the scene historically"

"Shamim was enthusiastic, efficient, always smiling and keeping us to time in a patient way. He excelled in responding to all requests. I really enjoyed the shared interest in textiles"

"The river trip was fascinating witha delicious lunch as well"

"Shamim was an absolutely perfect guide - exceptionally perfect guide - exceptionally thoughtful, well organised, very knowledeable about so many things, nothing was too much trouble for him. A lovely man who I feel privileged to have met"

"We were met with smiles and kindness wherever we went"


March 2007:

“Shamim did much more than provide us with a service, he gave us his friendship. Meeting him was at least as much of a highlight of the trip as visiting any of the places he took us to see. From the moment we arrived he made it clear that his job was to make sure we all had a really good time and he couldn’t have done more to make sure that we did”

"Having travelled quite widely, particularly in Asia, I had no special expectations of Bangladesh. I went there because I wanted to find out more about the practicalities of Fair Trade, and the Meet the People programme there seemed especially well focused on that. In the event the country itself was an unexpected gem, the people lovely, open and friendly, and our guide, himself a leading light in the handicrafts industry out there, superbly qualified to show us around" 

"The introduction to the farmers of Bangladesh was a special bonus: I had not realised from the brochure just how much we would learn in Tangail about farming in that rich alluvial land of river deltas. The Bangladesh Tourist Board, with a nice touch of ironic humour, advises you to "Come to Bangaldesh before the tourists arrive". I would second that"

”It was a lot more than a holiday”
 
“I have never eaten as well or as much as I did in Bangladesh"


March 2006:

“We were met with unfailing kindness and hospitality”

"Shamim and Islam were a wonderful double act, and between them fielded even the most outlandish questions. Their love of their native land, warts and all, was infectious"

"Having looked forward to the first Traidcraft People to People tour for so long it lived up to all my expectations. My only regret was that it was not long enough!"

"Exceeded all expectations"

"Bangladesh is a fascinating country and we cane away feeling optimistic about its future"

"A wonderful experience. We'd never done anything like this before, and we're still recovering"

"Shamim worked so hard to make the tour a success and to get us to love his country as much as he obviously does"

"Many thanks to all the people responsible for putting this trip together. Personally, I'll never forget it - I have never felt so sad on leaving a country before"

"Shamim was always helpful and knowledgeable and clearly highly committed" 

"It's more than a holiday, it's an experience which affects your way of life. Thank you for everything"
 

Brian Conder visited Bangladesh on our tour in March 2006. Click here to read a report of his trip and the producer groups that he visited. Or click here to read about Lizzie's trip in March 2007.