FAYZA HAQ

Agroup exhibition of photographs featuring works of Dr Mahmud Ali, Shafiqul Alam Kiron, Hasan Saifuddin Chandan, Sirjul Hossain , Mostafa Faroque Wahid Mahammadur Rahman and Mostafa Faruque Wahid is now being held at the International School Dhaka at Bashundhara.

Dr Mahboob Ali, who is the organiser of the exhibition says, "My pictures are divided into three parts. One is about the beautiful trees of Bangaldesh which are mainly in Jhenidah and one of them four hundred years old. This banyan tree and its offshoots cover 20 acres of land . When I went to see it I could find only the hanging aerial roots. But even themselves they were a beautiful scene. I photographed the tree from different angles and there are nine such photos on display. Apart from that I have been taking photographs of birds ,an exhibition of which has taken place at the Bangladesh Photographic Society. The difference in these bird photography is that they are in black and white. I focused on this particular subject as wildlife is endangered throughout the world today. Whatever wildlife exists in our country is being preserved in an inadequate manner. Poachers kill birds, tigers, deer and creatures of all shapes and sizes, and with our photos we can contribute somewhat to raise the consciousness for the necessary preservation."

Dr Ali's picture of a duck is a subtle one done in shades of black, grey and white. Its gentle features, including the dark eyes and a large beak along with the triangular webbed feet are seen against a river, with a human hand holding it up. His photo of birds sitting on poles along the river shows them like tiny specks on large tall supports. This too is in black and white and brings in the boats and hills in the background in a faint way. Another picture brings in a white heron perched on dry branches of a tree with the clear sky in the backdrop. There's the message perhaps: They need our positive support.

His various pictures of the banyan tree bring in details of the roots, branches and the dry leaves on the ground. DrAli says,"This photo is that of the oldest tree known in Bangladesh. According to botanists the age of this tree is over 400 years. The tree has over 600 hanging roots spread over 20 acres. These roots eventually become like trunks and in old age a single tree may have the appearance of a small forest. There are over 300 varieties of banyan trees in the world, with a 100 varieties in India alone. Two hundred and fifty varieties are to be found in South East Asia. The tree needs hot and humid climate and that's why rich varieties are now found in Assam, Tripura, Monipur, Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill Tracts. "

Dwelling on migratory birds on which he has focused with depth, Dr Ali says, "Bird hunting was regarded

as a sport since the British Raj and the wild life is now going into extinction. The lack of awareness in our society is leading to the demise of the birds. It is ironic that these birds are not treated with hospitality and instead they are trapped, poisoned and shot dead every year. Not less than 200 species of migratory shore birds fly in each year to our 'haor, baor' and 'beel'. These places are no longer safe for them. The birds

include warblers, flycatchers and wagtails who stay here till March. After them come the waders and shore birds. More than 60 species of these waders are found in our country. These include plovers, pratincole, curlew, godwits, sandpipers and snipes. There are also 20 species of geese and ducks."

Shafiqul Alam Kiron's picture of a cattle cart with a man guiding it surrounded by large tree trunks ,

almost frams the focal point in a semi circle.The silhouette of the tree trunk embracing the cattle cart is done with aesthetic sensibility. The other branches grow out of this frame. In the forefront are open shops, bicycles and more cattle carts. This black and white photo brings in a typical rural scene with man coexisting with nature. Kiron's depiction of a man immersing himself partly in the river brings in the

intensity of the man's concentration of thoughts. He is barely clad except for his "lungi" and his "gamcha". His armlet is also brought in. There are swarming people of various ages at the back dressed in different types of clothes. Two boats are also there in the backdrop but the main subject stands out well. His other picture is of a child holding on to a delicate hoop. A tiny bird is included in the composition.

Hasan Saifuddin Chandan's picture brings in a teenaged girl, with a child on her shoulders , picking pebbles and sea shells from the seashore. This is a depiction of delight as the girl is happy despite her burden and is apparently enjoying herself. Boats are there at the back and one can see thatched houses, fences and poles in faint grey and sand mounds can be detected too. His photo of people sleeping at the Kamalapur Station has the winding stairs at the top with two huddled up sleeping figures of vagrants. The staircase forms a beautiful geometrical motif around the figures. The balustrades with the circles and triangles too add to the charm of the composition. There is another photo of Chandan's with bare clad men with only talismans and amulets visible on them. They all appear to be either grinning or smiling at the camera and behind them is a new fangled building. He has brought in depiction of cowherds with their animals with great suavity mingling the greys with the black shades to depict the land and water, along with the animals and men.

In Khaled Sattar's picture we

see an old woman with her bundle of possession, trying to take care of her grandson with a pot belly, urinating on the street nearby. All around is the hustle and bustle of city life. The subjects with the public vehicle at the background form an interesting contrast. Khaled's other creation shows the reflection of people holding a party or a conference in a public toilet where the mirror is lined with wash basins. This too is an unusual piece of photography depicting a desperation perhaps, that our society is going through.

"Sirajul Hossain's " Anger and Submission, "Sunderbans 1997" has a large owl, taken in colour, with glaring golden eyes. Its beautiful brown body is gently flecked with white and blue. Around the bird one detects open aerial shoots of mangrove trees. In his "River" are nets set out along the river with shades of blue and brown. The poles add depth to the picture. The land appears to move into the water with cascading forms.

Farouque Wahid's picture from Mymensingh brings in a child near a door. The child and the door are framed by white-washed walls and the white and gray thatching.

This exhibition is meant to inspire the school children and guide them in their future interest in photography. The show will continue till May 10.