“It's best known for mangoes, actually. I'm from Rajshahi, in the north-west of Bangladesh, and in early summer the whole area is full of orchards and people selling fruit by the roadside.”

“Fairly easy, yes. It isn't a huge city, so most places are a short rickshaw ride away, and the roads are much less congested than in Dhaka. The only time it gets difficult is after heavy rain, when a few streets flood.”

“Not as many as you'd expect. A few people come in the mango season or to see the River Padma, but it isn't really on the main tourist trail, which I think is a shame because it's such a pleasant, relaxed place.”

“I'd definitely take them for an evening walk along the riverbank, because that's when the whole town seems to come out to enjoy the breeze. After that, I'd take them to a little sweet shop near my old school that's been run by the same family for decades.”

“Not as often as I'd like. In the city there's so much light pollution that you can barely see anything, but whenever I visit my grandparents' village, I spend a few minutes outside at night, because the sky there is full of stars.”

“A little, yes. My father used to point out a few constellations, like Orion, and I remember being amazed when he told me that some of the stars we could see might not even exist any more.”

“I think I would, actually. It's one of those subjects I find fascinating but know very little about, so if there were a good online series about it, I'd happily watch the whole thing.”

“Usually a backpack, because I take my laptop and books with me most days. It isn't very stylish, but it's much better for my back than a shoulder bag.”

“The usual things — my laptop, a charger, a water bottle and a notebook. And, for some reason, far too many old receipts that I keep meaning to throw away.”

“Definitely lots of pockets. I'm quite disorganised, so having a separate place for my keys, my phone and my pens saves me from emptying the whole bag every time I need something.”

“Probably not. I can see why people like designer bags, but for me a bag just needs to be strong and comfortable, and as long as it does that, I'm happy.”

“Transport hubs are probably the worst — bus terminals and river ports, especially before a long holiday, when it feels as if the entire city is leaving at once. Shopping areas come a close second, particularly in the evenings and at weekends. Interestingly, places of entertainment like cinemas are rarely as packed as they used to be, because so many people now watch films at home. Hospitals can be very crowded too, which is a much more serious problem.”

“A lot of it comes down to personality. More sociable, outgoing people seem to feed off the energy of a crowd — they find it exciting to be part of something big, like a concert or a cricket match. Quieter people, on the other hand, often find the noise and lack of space exhausting rather than exciting. Age plays a part as well: I've noticed that people tend to have less patience with crowds as they get older.”

“Planning is everything. Organisers need to control how many people enter, so tickets or timed entry are essential for really big events. The layout matters too — wide, clearly marked exits and separate routes in and out stop people being crushed at bottlenecks. And on the day, having trained staff who can communicate quickly, through loudspeakers or phone alerts, can make the difference between a minor problem and a serious accident.”

“I think it's a sensible idea, at least for organisations where the work allows it. If some offices started at eight and others at ten, the morning rush would be spread out, so buses would be less packed and journeys shorter for everyone. The difficulty is that many businesses depend on each other being open at the same time, so it would need careful coordination, probably led by the government.”

“Very much so. In some cultures, standing close to someone or touching their arm while you talk is perfectly normal and even friendly, whereas in others it can feel intrusive. Even within one country, there are differences — people who've grown up in crowded cities usually tolerate being close to strangers far more than people from rural areas, simply because they've had to get used to it. Age and gender can shape people's expectations as well, so it's quite a complicated picture.”

“In one sense, it's actually easier — more people have their own rooms or flats than their grandparents did. But in another sense, it's much harder, because our phones mean we're always reachable, and so much of our lives is recorded and shared online. So I'd say physical privacy has improved for many people, while privacy of information has become a real concern, and I think most people underestimate how much of their data is being collected.”

“Physically, I suspect they will, at least in big cities. As populations grow, homes are likely to get smaller and public transport more crowded, unless cities expand outwards a great deal. On the other hand, people may adapt by designing spaces more cleverly — things like shared rooftop areas or quiet rooms in offices. So personal space may shrink, but people will probably find new ways of protecting it, even if it's just putting on headphones.”