Dhaka, Dec. 27 -- Flanked by a blend of dense greenery and rustic beauty, our autorickshaw speeds towards Mogolhat from the Mission intersection, the heart of the Lalmonirhat district. Cows and goats graze in fields despite an intermittent drizzle on a September morning. Bamboo, betel nut, and banana are among the trees lining the paved road that bends often.

Villagers here live in tin-roofed houses that have walls made of both tin and brick. Male and female garments hang from slender tree branches cut and slung between betel nut trees - a nice improvisation for drying clothes in the sun. We cross the small Ratnai Bridge, its parapet painted in red and white stripes.

The driver slows down, and a body of water looms ahead. This is Dharla...