Working class people in Patuakhali can now speak functional Chinese because they earn their livelihoods by selling to Chinese engineers working at the Payra power plant.
The local shop keepers say that initially the Chinese communicated by sign language but later taught them basic Chinese terms for egg, chicken, paratha and chilis.
Many of the locals also speak in Chinese. The 1320 megawatt plant has metamorphosed the community which once relied on farm work. Today, people dress properly and run businesses.
The economic activity in the area is around the plant under construction with the Chinese as the main customers.
The once backwater is now a bustling economic centre. Most people have learnt Chinese while mane Chinese engineers have learnt Bangla.
Of the nine thousand workers in Payra, three thousand are Chinese who stay within the plant. They also buy essentials from the local bazaar.
A worker of a local shop says: “Most of the buyers are Chinese and we sell everything from LPG gas to vegetables.”
Most traders remain an honest relation with the Chinese and sell items at a reasonable price.
“We never try to over-charge anyone and this has cemented a trust based relationship with the foreigners,” says another business owner
Once a wood merchant, Abdul Malek is now a fish trader, selling to the Chinese.
A Chinese worker earns more than Tk 100,000 per month and buys everything from the local markets.
Along with the under construction 1320 megawatt power plant, another similar plant will be constructed so the foreign workers will be here for a long time. In addition, half ownership of the plant is under the Chinese.
This means that the Chinese workers and engineers will be here for a considerable period.
To maintain relation with them, the entire area has undergone notable socio-cultural changes.