A homage to travel photographers
Travel Fest Photography Exhibition 2023 is celebrating Bhromon Konna's (a tour group in Bangladesh) seventh anniversary with over 200 photographs from travel photographers
In 2021, Imran Hossain Imu, a passionate travel photographer, embarked on a journey to Baghaichari in Khagrachari. He was driven by his eagerness to capture the essence of a festival celebrated by the Chakma ethnic minority community.
However, upon arrival, Imran noticed a restriction on those coming from outside the community and photographing the people. Respecting their customs, he chose not to immediately bring out his camera. Instead, he immersed himself in their festivities, engaging in conversations with the locals to build comfortable relations and foster trust. Only when they felt comfortable with his presence, he brought out his camera to capture the spirit of the event.
"I understood the significance of respecting their boundaries. It allowed me to connect with the community on a deeper level. The genuine interactions paved the way for authentic and heartfelt photographs, preserving the richness of their traditions," recalled Imran.
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Imran Hossain's enchanting photos are displayed at Shilpakala Academy's National Gallery, as part of the 'Beauty of Hill Tracts' exhibition celebrating Bhromon Konna's seventh anniversary. The exhibit features two of his photos with around 200 other captivating pictures by diverse photographers nationwide.
On 1 August 2023, the exhibition was inaugurated in the auditorium of gallery number six and seven of Jatiya Chitrashala Bhaban of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
'Bhromon Konna,' founded in 2016 by Dr Manoshi Saha and Dr Sakia Haque, is Bangladesh's leading women's travel organisation. It empowers Bangladeshi girls to explore new horizons through secure and supportive travel. With 85,000 members, it pioneers female journeys and shares inspiring stories of brave women travellers with the world.
"I have been very interested in travelling since my childhood. The travel stories I used to read in books made me wish I could visit these places. But the safety of women in our country while travelling is somewhat challenging. That's why our family didn't let us go on tours out of fear.
We created 'Bhromon Konna' with the aim that no other woman has to face the same challenges that my friends and I faced before travelling or while travelling," Dr Manoshi Saha, one of the co-founders of Bhromon Konna, told The Business Standard.
What started through Facebook and then a public Facebook event inviting women to go on a trip to Narsingdi blossomed into something big. "Many women joined us and we went to Narsingdi from Dhaka in January 2017 and successfully completed our tour. Since then till this month, we have travelled with women to 199 places including home and abroad," added a joyful Manoshi Saha.
Bhromon Konna continues to publish its travel magazine, featuring articles pictures, and success stories of female travellers. This year's edition showcases women's travel experiences and includes a Travel Fest with photography exhibitions for all genders.
Inside the gallery, one will find beautiful photographs on the walls. There's also a corner showcasing pictures of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from different periods. A special section encourages women to try mountain trekking with replicas.
"Our main objective of organising this exhibition is to showcase the beautiful places of the country to people and inspire travel photographers, which we will continue to do in the future," said Nusrat Jahan Rizy, joint secretary of the planning home of Bhromon Konna.
The exhibition is open to all visitors until 7 August 2023.
TBS Picks:
TBS picks a few photographs from the show with descriptions from the photographers.
The path less travelled by Farzana Hafsa
As a passionate teacher with a lifelong love for travel and photography, I took this mesmerising photo in Antelope Canyon, Arizona in 2019, finding its beauty enchanting and irresistible.
Endless Joy by Asad Rassel
With a decade of photography experience, I'm most excited about capturing rural Bangladesh's spirit, especially lively children. In 2014, in Chardanga, Nilphamari, this curious moment unfolded with playful kids in a van's tiny windows.
Graceful hands mould dreams by Siam Hasan
This year, I explored Bijoynagar, a famed pottery village in Comilla, where a simple, earth-connected life prevails. Tradition thrives with clay homes and tools, upheld by resilient women like her.
