Mirzāpur, Bangladesh

This town 41 kilometers southeast of Tangail is a modest, unremarkable place. With a population of just over 41,000, Mirzāpur offers a sleepy, provincial existence - the literacy rate barely scrapes 70%. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as it is across much of Bangladesh. This is not the place for those seeking big-city excitement or convenience; it's a quiet backwater, best suited for those content with a slower, simpler way of life.