Shahnaz Parvin

Innocent Smile

2013-06-09T07:16:00.000+06:00

Innocent smile...

The Boy with Crab

2013-06-09T07:13:00.002+06:00

When the monsoon season is over, all the ponds and small lakes in the villages are used for a special type of ”hand fishing”. In this special act the most of the specialized fishermen are the village children who simply go into the water and use just their hands to catch all these fish. One day in a village not very far from Dhaka city, the same kind of fishing was in progress and people were watching these very unique kinds of acts. Suddenly a little boy grabbed everyone’s attention. In the hand of that little boy was a very angry looking crab and no matter how much that crab was biting and hurting the boy, he was not letting it go! Rather he continued to play with it, showing the world that he is not scared of such tiny crustaceans!

Marriage in Tanchangya Tribe

2013-06-09T06:30:00.003+06:00

The Tanchangya people are an indigenous people in southeastern Bangladesh. There are 13 indigenous ethnic communities living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) among the 45 ethnic communities in Bangladesh. ‘Tanchangya’ is the one of them. The word “Tong” means Hill and “Taugya” means Jhum (Hilltop Sweden cultivation). So, the word Tanchangya means Hill Sweden farmer. Arakanise Tanchangyas are also known as “Doingnak”. Tanchangya’s are the 5th largest indigenous ethnic community in CHT. Tanchangya family calls the village community leaders(ponchayet) before they arrange marriage ceremony of their son or daughter, locally it is called panchalle jouwa . After the chairman or community leader (ponchayaeet) asses their marriage proposal/plan, then he asks about their planned budget and the number of people who will be attending the ceremony. The groom family will be gives the expenditures for the ceremony. The Monk, chief of the temple, keeping in view a holiday with relevance to lunar calendar or by referring to holy book of Buddhism, fixes the date of marriage. The wedding ceremony no longer remains the responsibility of either family who are to bond a relation but the all the villagers/community member’s start working for the ceremony. The young boys and girls work as volunteers day and night till the ceremony complete successfully. The groom family doesn’t do anything rather remains a host with relatives. In wedding the elder person will cook foods and the young boys and girls will serve the food for all. By tradition all the activities are carried out at the groom’s house. Prior the ceremony commences, the groom and his relative go to bride’s house and after greeting and other formalities the groom and his relatives return to their home.The groom family welcome the bride after washing feet and spreed flowers. On the night of the wedding whole community keep themselves busy in cooking food, preparations for reception of guests and also server a traditionally homemade drink “pachon” especially for those who accompany the bride. The next day, the Monk (bantey), chief of the temple comes to the grooms house as well as relatives and villagers. To invite the monk, Tangchange family need to handover a Dhalanpoy to Monk and this process is called Fang. (Fang - delivery or give as gift )Tahanchanga people use it for any kind of religious program. They invite the Monk and decorate the Dhalanpoy (full with coconut, water, rice, fruits, money) and give (Fang) bantey as gift. The bride and groom get dressed in traditional attire and the Monk waits for their arrival at the groom house for time of marriage as he (the Monk) has fixed. In the meantime the Monk has certain tasks to do as well,

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which is part of the rituals for the marriage ceremony. He makes a rope from white cotton or threads with his own hands and long enough to circle the bride and the groom while the Monk holds both ends putting the couple in the center of the rope. When the groom and bride arrive into the room, after the Monk encircles the bride and groom with his own-made rope (which is not too tick, approximately with a diameter of 1 centimeter or less), then the groom recites Mantro, by the help of the Monk or he repeats after the Monk and the bride also recites with them but silently. Mantro is a religious kind of prayer. After recitation process the couple lights candles and then pour water from a jug in a pot while reciting Mantro. Then the bride and groom tie each other hands with same kind cotton rope. Now both groom and the bride bows the Monk in front of a Dhalapoy and also seek blessings from the Monk. Then they need to handover the Dhalapoy and The Monk accept it. After performing all these rituals, again the couple bows in front of the Monk to ask blessings and the Monk gives them ‘ashirbad’ and declares them husband and wife while relatives witness. Also it’s the obligation of the couple to handover (Fank) the the table full with festival foods and drink to the Monk as well. Now elders and relatives come to give their blessings (ashirbad) and felicitate the newlywed couple. Later the responsibilities of the family elders start. The mother of the groom gathers all those women who are attending the ceremony in that room and offers them cigar and paan. Now all the elders of the family, relatives and community members come to give their blessings (ashirbad) to the couple and pray as well for them. By doing so, they come and pick a piece of cotton which is gathered in a tray and touch it to their tongue or recite some mantro and place it on the heads of the bride and groom. The bride and the groom remain in a bowed position while receiving blessings from their elders. This ritual of placing a piece of cotton, is believed to make their (the wed couple) life happy. Then the pieces of the cotton are gathered and two pillows are made for the bride and groom which is the most interesting party of this tradition. Some relatives also throw rice on the couple and some give gifts while others give money as they wish. Now the ceremony reaches its conclusion and meal is served to the guests and jubilant family members and relatives dance and drink typically made special drinks. The bride relatives go back to their homes and later the groom gives some money to his sister-in-laws and other children. At last when the ceremony is over then the groom, the bride and the groom’s family members gather and eat food together.

Voyage Through Nature

2013-05-05T09:47:00.002+06:00

Remember the last trip I went to Sonargaon, the ancient capital of Bengal, where little boys were floating like lily flower. While coming back from there I suddenly saw these boys in the middle of rice paddy field. They were just opposite to my boat, and trying hard to cross the flooded parcel full with green paddy. They looked adventurous, and in the middle of vast green they were like grasshoppers going on a voyage through nature.

Risky Life

2013-05-05T09:44:00.004+06:00

Once I went this place to write a feature on women, and then suddenly saw the train coming. There was no warning, it was there, just like every single hour. It’s a farmers market in Postogola, women with very low income coming here to shop. Life stops here only when the train passing by, a still life with running train. And when an accident taking place, it changes the life for some forever, yet their life style remains the same, a risky life for the dweller beside the railway track. And those on top of the train, in front, on each side, on every possible inch a person can occupy, sitting, standing, or holding something, risking the life to the fullest, they only know one thing – reaching their destination. They fight to live a life with the basic needs.

In the Name of Your Lord

2013-05-05T09:41:00.003+06:00

Remember my 2 years old nephew Fatin, whom we always find praying, and supplicating with others. Even at such young age, every day he takes the book for learning Quran and trying to read. His innocent act reminds me about the first few verses of Quran that was revealed – “Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a (mere) clot of congealed blood. Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous

Let’s Pray for Peace

2013-05-05T09:35:00.001+06:00

Place may be different, time may be different, color may be diffident, but the way for accepting prayers in the eyes of Almighty, is only one. And for rest of the world, who are not truly submissive yet, the word “prayer” is also well known to them, in fact well known to all, so let’s pray for peace.

On a Collecting Day

2013-05-05T09:30:00.003+06:00

As I watched as the day progressed, the sun was shifting from sunny to cloudy, and these farmers coming back from putting what they have reaped earlier. The process of collecting paddy is a hard labor, especially in a country like Bangladesh, where they use hand and primitive tools, just like their ancestors. Though they were looking exhausted, but soon they can celebrate the heritage of rural Bengal, the harvesting with the new rice, and verities of traditional rice cakes.

Soil with Soul

2013-05-05T09:26:00.003+06:00

The world is continuously changing, but there are two things that would never change, it’s the soil and the soul. We have changed our lifestyle, yet again the bonding with the soil and soul remain the same. Now-a-days, the potter also changed the process of making the pot from manual wooden wheel to machine, but they still use the same clay, and craft it with their hand, an art that’s been used for many generations.

Break Time

2013-05-05T09:19:00.001+06:00

Break Time...

Bee Eater

2013-05-04T21:44:00.003+06:00

The little green bee eater usually seats in field where it may finds some bees. This shot was taken from a mustard field, where it seat long time. Like other bee-eaters, this species is a richly coloured, slender bird. It is about 9 inches (16–18 cm) long with about 2 inches made up by the elongated central tail-feathers.

The Potter and His Wheel

2013-05-04T21:42:00.003+06:00

Once upon a time pottery in Bangladesh was very much rich. Industrialization replaced the golden time of the potters. Even that some potters are found across the country busy with this profession. A potter’s wheel is used to make specific shape of the wedged clay. A ball of clay is placed in the center of a turntable called wheel-headwhich the potter rotates with a stick with foot or hand power. The wheel rotates rapidly while the solid ball of soft clay is pressed, squeezed and pulled gently upward and outward into a hollow shape. A potter of Bangladesh never potters rather he works hard for his earning.

Prayer Time

2013-05-04T21:39:00.004+06:00

This photograph was shoot from middle of river The Buri Ganga. When I saw this boat man, he was preparing for prayer. Washed his face his hands and legs for evening prayer. I was astonished after saw him pray on boat, and once he finished his prayer he was waiting for customers.

The Paperboy

2013-05-04T21:35:00.002+06:00

This photograph was taken from Kamlapur railway station when this paperboy was with his customer. Most of paperboys at the railway station do their job on behalf of some newsstands. They came from several area, mostly outside of the capital Dhaka, and return home after finished their job.

From the Yellow Field

2013-05-04T20:52:00.006+06:00

Mustard is a fantastic weather crop that grown from seeds sown in early spring. It likes moist soil and sunny location. Once upon a time it was the main oil seed crop of Bangladesh, local farmers produced the amount they needed. This spring I shoot this photo from Faridpur when some children were playing around it.

Alone Enough

2013-05-04T20:49:00.000+06:00

After finished work,need to return home in a shortcut way.All his friends returned another way, so he had to walk alone. Only the railway lines gave him company. Heroes have to fight alone,life is like that and the boy knows that.

Rain Lovers

2013-05-04T20:41:00.007+06:00

Their lifestyle is very ordinary but rich with soul. In Bangladesh from childhood these ordinary children know how to adjust, they also know how to enjoy life with very tiny things. For all, rain is not ordinary, these children love to play and make fun in rainy season.

Make a Run

2013-05-04T20:31:00.000+06:00

Mustard is a cool weather crop and is grown from seeds sown in early spring. It likes a moist soil and a sunny location. Same as our children. They are also like the mustard seeds, so soft and warm. This shot was captured from Faridpur district from a mustard field.

Seasonal Cowboys

2013-05-04T20:26:00.002+06:00

Festival of Sacrifice” or “Greater Eid” is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide. And before that day in Bangladesh our children wait for the cow , they like to become cowboy to walk like cowboys with the cow from haat (cow market) to home. Before one Eid day, i got this moment from Narayanganj, Bangladesh.

Alphabet of Sun (রৌদ্রাক্ষর)

2013-05-04T20:22:00.003+06:00

They are the alphabet of sun, the giver of light of our nation. They are the alphabet of our language for which millions gave their lives. They are carrying the evidence of our right to write, our epic story of rise of our nation. They are the alphabet of our language Bangla. Our children from this land of Bengal got their first lesson form their mothers to write these alphabets.

In the year 1948, the Governor General of Pakistan Mohammed Ali Jinnah came to Dhaka of the then East Pakistan, and decleared Urdu to be the only official language for both West and East Pakistan. From that very moment, people of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), having Bangla as the mother language started protesting against this.
On 21 February 1952, students called in for a provincial strike, but the government invoked a limited curfew to prevent this and the protests were tamed down so as to not break the curfew. All the people wanted were the right to talk in their own language, the language of their motherland. On the contrary, the Pakistani police fired on the students despite these peaceful protests and Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabbar and many were killed.
Bangladesh got independence in 16 December 1971, following a nine month long liberation war where 3 million people were killed in the hand of Pakistani army, one of the biggest genocides in the history that was ever recorded. And November 1999, UNESCO’s declaration of 21st February as the International Mother Language Day has brought fresh glory and prestige to Bangladesh which is making significant strides towards peace, progress and prosperity around the world.

My Bangla Alphabet

2013-05-04T20:16:00.004+06:00

These are the few of the characters of Bangla. However, the right to speak and write in Bangla had to be earned in a very unprecedented way. The epic story of rise of a nation that they are not afraid to die to protect their language.

In the year 1948, the Governor General of Pakistan Mohammed Ali Jinnah came to Dhaka of the then East Pakistan, and decleared Urdu to be the only official language for both West and East Pakistan. From that very moment, people of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), having Bangla as the mother language started protesting against this.
On 21 February 1952, students called in for a provincial strike, but the government invoked a limited curfew to prevent this and the protests were tamed down so as to not break the curfew. All the people wanted were the right to talk in their own language, the language of their motherland. On the contrary, the Pakistani police fired on the students despite these peaceful protests and Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabbar and many were killed.
Bangladesh got independence in 16 December 1971, following a nine month long liberation war where 3 million people were killed in the hand of Pakistani army, one of the biggest genocides in the history that was ever recorded. And November 1999, UNESCO’s declaration of 21st February as the International Mother Language Day has brought fresh glory and prestige to Bangladesh which is making significant strides towards peace, progress and prosperity around the world.

Safe Landing

2013-05-04T20:12:00.002+06:00

I captured this photograph from Patenga, Chittagong. Once you are in Chittagong, you are suggested to take a tour to Patenga to find the beauty.The Patenga and Fouzdarhat Sea Beaches are Chittagong, which is about 22 kilometer from the main city.

Lets Jump

2013-05-03T22:40:00.000+06:00

Lets Jump...

Fishing

2013-05-03T21:54:00.001+06:00

Fishing...

Waiting for the train...

2013-05-03T21:42:00.000+06:00

Waiting for the train that goes home...