Forget politics, let’s argue about tea and coffee!

The tea versus coffee debate in Dhaka reflects diverse personalities and lifestyles. Tea is seen as comforting, social, and accessible, while coffee is viewed as energizing, sophisticated, and a symbol of ambition. Both drinks fuel the city’s vibrant culture.

Forget the buzz around cricket rivalries or politics — this is the actual argument worth spilling tea (or coffee) over. Why? Because the tea versus coffee debate is not just about taste; it's a declaration of your personality, lifestyle, ideology, and philosophy in a cup. To settle the score, we ventured into Dhaka's bustling streets, cosy cafes, and tea stalls to hear from everyday enthusiasts. The responses? As diverse and caffeinated as the drinks themselves!

"Can you picture our regular adda (hangout) sessions without tea?" asks Maruf Hassan, a para-intellectual often found quoting Marx at different tea stalls near Dhaka University. "Tea is revolutionary! Every major protest we've staged was fuelled by countless cups of tea. It runs in our blood!"

Understanding Maruf's emotions, we stopped him there and proceeded to coffee loyalists who definitely aren't the ones to back down.

"Tea is for gossip; coffee is for ideas," says Fatin, a poet who insists his best work happens over a cup of espresso. He might have written only two poems in the last decade, but they were profound, and he seemed proud!

However, tea advocates argue that coffee is elitist, a drink for hipsters and CEOs who write emails with "Kind Regards." Meanwhile, coffee fans accuse tea drinkers of lacking ambition.

"Tea people are old; they just sit and talk; coffee people act!" claims Tasnia, a budding startup founder with at least five failed ventures but a robust caffeine addiction!

Meanwhile, Zareen Tasnim Aboni, an avid admirer of milk tea, who can't think of starting her morning without a sip of it, passionately declares, "Tea is the ultimate drink of comfort and connection. Nothing—and I repeat nothing—can rival the sheer bliss of a steaming cup of milk tea. Pair it with a flaky paratha, and it's like heaven took a detour through your taste buds. Coffee? Please. It's just anxiety in a cup!"

"Honestly, I've never felt closer to a panic attack in my life until I tried an espresso shot at a fancy restaurant," chuckles Tabassum Maisha, a political science student.

"Coffee doesn't wake me up; it puts me on edge—like it's yelling at me to get my life together!" she adds with a smile. "But tea? Tea is like that soft-spoken friend who just gets you. It's versatile and everywhere. Feeling cold? Ginger tea. Feeling down? Masala tea. Feeling lonely? Head to TSC for a cup and some company.

"Tea doesn't rush you; it soothes you, gives you time to breathe, to think. It's a warm hug in a cup. Coffee, on the other hand, is like a drill sergeant yelling, 'Wake up and conquer the world!' No, thanks—I don't like to be yelled at!" Maisha says.

Another TSC tea stall loyalist, Rahat Mia has a more brutal yet practical take.

He says, "Tea is for everyone. It doesn't matter if you're rolling in cash or counting pennies—you can enjoy a good cup of tea anywhere. Have you ever seen your mum serving coffee to the guests? No, right? Exactly! Tea is a ritual, a part of our culture. Coffee? That's for folks who want to look important while sipping bitterness out of overpriced cups. It's a capitalist intruder—trying to hijack our tradition!"

And then there's the health angle. "Have you ever heard of a tea overdose?" joked Dr Enayet Haque, a dentist. "Tea is gentle. It doesn't mess with your heart rate. It's the drink for longevity."

Although coffee enthusiasts retort that their beloved drink is far more cosmopolitan.

"Coffee is global, sophisticated. The aroma, the making process—it's a form of art!" says Mukit, a techie sipping on a mocha at a café that charges extra for foamed milk. "Tea is stuck in the past, much like Bengal's infrastructure!" he adds.

Now, Mukit is not entirely wrong, and not everyone is taking sides!

"Why not both?" asks Tahira, a microbiology student waiting for her tea outside Metro Station. "I drink tea during the day for energy and coffee in the evening to feel fancy." Her pragmatism, however, is a rarity in this city.

Dhaka may never choose between tea and coffee. And why should it? After all, what's more quintessentially Dhaka than passionately arguing over two cups, with no intention of picking a side?