Photographer Babul Bhoumik has depicted the sufferings of the victims of river erosion in his second solo exhibition that is now underway at the Zainul Galley of Dhaka University.
The weeklong untitled show features 30 photographs, most of which revolve around the erosion of Meghna riverbanks at the Ramgati Upazila in Chittagong while others show the sufferings of people in the hill tract region.
The images show how the deterioration of riverbanks is exposing people to a number of dangers and affecting their life and livelihood. Buildings, roads, bazaars, trees – nothing is safe from Meghna River, which is constantly devouring its banks and creeping into human habitations.
One of the images shows a road broken under the influence of erosion. The road, which was once smooth and solid, is riddled with cracks and craters while certain parts of it were submerged by the rising water of Meghna.
A few of the pictures show the aftermath of erosion. People who were once well-off and lost their homes in erosion are seen in them. One picture shows a family living in a shabby shed made of polybag, cardboard and bamboo stick.
The hill tracts images, on the other hand, depict the livelihood of the small ethnic communities. Some of them also show daily hassles such as scarcity of water in those areas.
‘My aim is to draw the attention of the authorities to the sufferings of the people in the remote and erosion-hit areas,’ said Babul Bhoumik while talking to New Age.
The exhibition, which began on October 17, will remain open for the public until October 23.