THATCHED COTTAGES, BANGLADESH

Thatching is an ancient craft, with a universal practical, as well as aesthetic appeal. The roofing method is widespread in both tropical and temperate climates, to insulate against external heat, especially from direct sun, and to retain heat in colder climates.
It is, of course, very environmentally friendly, utilising renewable plant growth, and, most often, the by products of cereal cultivation.

It is, perhaps, a little paradoxical that in less developed nations such as Bangladesh the use of thatching reflects a plentiful supply of low cost material, whereas in developed nations such as those in Europe, especially UK, thatching materials are not so easy to come by, and finding the craft skills to do the thatching is both difficult and expensive.

Like most tropical and subtropical nations, especially those with a great agri based economy producing great supplies of straw, Bangladesh has no shortage of thatched cottages, though images of them seldom appear on the packaging of luxury goods in the way that have traditionally on chocolate and biscuit boxes in UK. The durability of some of the thatching is extraordinary, with roofing over 100 years old far from rare. Other roofing is more temporary with both skills, and probably time for doing the delicate work not always available, and the straw more laid on the roof, especially tin roofs, to mitigate the oven like quality of tin roofing in burning sun.

The overall effect, however, is undeniably picturesque, and a regular part of rural scenery across the beautiful countryside of the land.