Photography

21st February, the International Languages day is celebrating with highest honor and dignity nationwide. The millions of people gathers in Shahid Minir ( language monument) to honor the language martyr heroes. 1952 of this day, the lover of mother language sacrifice the lives to protect the Bangla from the grasps of non-democratic Pakistani rulers, who wanted to declare the Urdu as state language instead of Bangala, the language of majority peoples. At last it was settled Bangla as state language after the sacrifice of patriotic spirits & movement. The launages movement is the basement of Bangali nationalism from which Bangladeshi peoples inherited sprit to win in all democratic and rights movement includeing the independence of Bangladesh.

On November 17, 1999, the Unesco declared February 21 as the International Mother Language Day, is celebrating worldwide. From President to general people of Bangladesh celebrate this day, offer the flowers in Shahid Minar with bare foot, however expressed the heart and devotion for national prosperity. The day is a public holiday. The national flag will be hoisted at half-mast atop all government, autonomous and private buildings. The government and different socio-political and cultural organisations have taken up separate programmes to observe the Language Martyrs’ Day.It is an inspirational event to save the language and culture of thousand minority tribe of the world.

The traditional Bangla spring festival, ”Boshonto Uthshob” regularly celebrate in the first day of Falgun ( spring) with enthusiasm. Under the banyan tree of Dhaka university, Charukola Institute every year organize series of culture events with song and dance. The performers and cultural activist wear local dress Fatua and Shari. The women used yellow, colorful shari with Bangladeshi fashion. The young people enjoyed very much and express the original identity of Bangalee culture and spirit. Countrywide, the cultural organisations, clubs of school and collage celebrate this festival with festivities mind and joyful traditional event.

Cox’s Bazar, the longest sea beach of the world. It again come to the lime light by competing as a natural wonders of the world. 121 KM lengthy this sandy sea beach is the longest and least-crowded beaches of the world. Still now most part of this beach is virgin, did not captured totally by commercialization. However the Cox’s Bazar is most desired tourist spot for all Bangladeshi. Nowadays based beach the urbanization is increasing. World class exotic hotels, motels and resorts have been established. But the local people still now poor living by finishing, agriculture and tourism based small entrepreneurship. The hotel investment mostly comes from outside of the district, majority owners are from Dhaka and Chittagong as complete business men.

Because of tourism here the market price here high compare to other places of Bangladesh. The communication from Dhaka and Chittagong here good. There luxurious bus and local airline services. “Saudia Aslam’ is the latest addition of ‘Marcity Benz’ bus server. But the global standard beach cultural practices and living environment have not yet been well accepted by the local people because of illiteracy and conservative practices. With the governmental patronization the Cox’s Bazar can be more attractive tourist spot. The months of September and October are best seasons to enjoy the sunset.

Note: Cox’s Bazar is located 150 km south of Chittagong, is also known by the name “Panowa”, the literal translation of which means “yellow flower”. Its other old name was “Palongkee”. The modern Cox’s Bazar derives its name from Captain Cox (died 1798), an army officer serving in British India. Because of climate change, sea level rising and salinity increasing, the city and beach now environmentally under threat.

We produced eighty photo stories on 80 street markets around Dhaka for Arts Electronica, Austia.

The photo series having the reality of the post effect of Alia (storm with flood). The Alia is the latest attack of storm in the Southern Districts of Bangladesh just after the Sidr. Nowadays is a frequently attacking with new form of disaster as the global worming and climate change. The photos of the story are there reality and portraits of the victim.

Thousands people with colorful flags and forged war weapons gathers in the Hussani Dalan and start grief really of Ashura. In old Dhaka and Muhamedpur Ashura celebration is remarkable particularly for wide people’s participation and emotional festivity. Old Dhaka becomes a new Dhaka in this day. The people particularly the young walk & matom, ( grief song ), drumming and hit the body as indemnity to loss of Muhammed (Sm) grand son in Karbala ( now Iraq). This mourning rally is known as Tazia. The women are generally observer but some join. In the rally the male mourners publicly beating their breasts with open palms, knives and or chains for showing the grief.

10th Muharram, the first month of the Hijri (Arabic) calendar is the anniversary of the death of Imam Husain, the Prophet’s grandson, at Kabala. As like as other Muslim countries Bangladesh although observes this day with highest dignity, Ashura is the national holyday in Bangladesh.

Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom, art and music is the daughter of lord Shiva and
goddess Durga. It is believed that goddess Saraswati endows human beings with the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus – the symbol of true knowledge – in the second. With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on a string instrument called the veena . She is dressed in white – the symbol of purity – and rides on a white swan – symbolising Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination.

Hindus, especially in Bangladesh , celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm and Hindu temples, schools, colleges and households are full of activity on this day. The festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the Magha month of the Indian calendar, on the day called ‘Vasant Panchami’. It is believed that on this day, goddess Saraswati was born. She is the personification of knowledge – arts, science, crafts. She represents Shakti, creativity and inspiration and presents herself when the weather is pleasant and Nature is in its full grandeur.   The most significant aspect of this day is that Hindu children are taught reading and writing their first words on this day – as it is considered an auspicious day to begin a child’s education. Educational institutions organize special prayers for Saraswati on this day. Flowers and wild berries are offered to the goddess and students place their books before the deity and do not do any reading or writing that day. An elaborate puja, with sandalwood, ghee, joss sticks, and incense is done to the sound of shlokas, conch shells, and drums. On this day, people eat vegetarian food and initiate children into the world of the written word.