Dhaka, Jan. 13 -- Shahriar (single name used) tied the knot with Maleeha, a corporate affairs officer of a multinational company, at a convention centre in Dhaka in the first week of December last year. The event was originally scheduled for April of the same year, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, they had to reschedule it. Additionally, they had to cut their guest list to 250 from 800 people for the obvious reason - social distancing.

This is one of hundreds of weddings affected by the pandemic in the city. Culturally in this part of the world, weddings are weeklong extravagant events that are expensive for any echelon of society. They also include home visits, engagements, wedding receptions, post-wedding receptions and some famil...