“Wish me luck, guys! I have an appointment,” I said, greeting my colleagues as I headed into an experience I never thought I’d find myself in. Amidst the daily chaos of Dhaka, the quest for a little fun never loses its charm.

“Speed ​​Dating”: a process of connecting via quick dates is a concept relatively unknown to our young people. The only exposure any of us have had to the concept of Speed ​​Dating is through YouTube shows like “Sidemen” and “The Button” where dates are limited to a few minutes, making first impressions even more significant.

And given that Speed ​​Dating was a new type of event for all of us, the event started on a shaky note.

Although the host did his best to put everyone at ease with jokes and stories, the crowd was initially difficult to convince, hence the need to break the ice.

“Is it a green flag or a red flag? was one of the first games we played to help immerse us in the experience, providing a first glimpse of each person in the room.

As the red cards flew for traits like “Judging people solely based on their horoscopes” and the green cards for “Ghosts are bad”, the crowd began to relax. Drawing our worst dating experiences turned out to be a fun and light-hearted way to warm up before the real “game” began.

The people in the room would only know each other by their assigned numbers, not their names. It was one of many rules the hosts put in place to protect the attendants. Other rules such as the strict no-photography policy and emphasis on respecting boundaries helped put attendees at ease.

In a way, they set the stage with the perfect balance between the anonymity we get through online applications and the authentic nature of face-to-face conversations. This became clear as I sat down for my first of seven ten-minute speed laps.

“So, how was your day?” I asked awkwardly. Fortunately, the initial discomfort passed within seconds as he turned out to be a great talker, and discovering things we had in common made conversation even easier.

Needless to say, I had reservations about how the seven rounds played out. But I was pleasantly wrong since all six “dates” (and one rehearsal) went off without a hitch, thanks to the organizer’s vetting process during the application phases. And in the unlikely situation that I felt uncomfortable at any point, I had my red flag with me to signal the bouncer to intervene.

The system has truly cultivated genuine connections between people. Every time the bell rang, we shared the same surprised look: “Already?

It was like a playground for extroverts! Introverts were not left out; they were given conversation prompts to help get the ball rolling if needed.

Between rounds where boys and girls had the opportunity to choose their partners, there was a lively game of “Never Have I Ever” with soft jazz music playing in the background. At this point everyone was more comfortable and laughter filled the space as we all got to know each other a little more.

The Attention Network organized its first Speed ​​Dating event at Kawran Bazar in Dhaka on November 4. Despite trolling on social media and having their page shut down for over a day, the event went ahead as planned. Imagine 20 strangers gathered in a room: what could ensue but pure awkwardness, right? Surprisingly, the aftermath was much more enjoyable and authentic than I expected.

We were so deprived of getting to know a person without first checking out their online version, so this was a much-needed change of scenario. People are more than the pretty photos they upload, and this event was a good reminder.

Credit goes to the team who ran the event with ease, creating a safe and comfortable environment for everyone involved. The thoughtful structure and well-chosen icebreakers really worked in their favor.

Should Dhaka embrace more in-person matchmaking events instead of endless swiping on Bumble to foster real relationships? Absolutely.
But does this guarantee that you will find love? Who can say it? As for me, I’m married, but good luck to those who are still traveling!