The verdure of southern Bangladesh is simply breathtaking. Trees and bushes densely surround almost every household in the villages of Barisal, Pirojpur and Jhalakathi. This vegetation not only ensures privacy for the otherwise conservative homes but also creates a solid cyclone barrier. As you travel through this region, you can feel the oxygenated fragrance in […]
Polythene bags are here to stay, no matter what! Faced with an imminent environmental disaster, the government in January 2002 banned the use of polythene bags in Dhaka and eventually enforced it elsewhere in the country. The move immediately brought applause from the environmentalists and residents but it was claimed that it cost more than 18,000 […]
The story of a landless mother receiving her dream home in Kawkhali Successive governments named the same scheme separately and took great pride in publicizing its achievements. The scheme deals with one of the most sought after commodities in Bangladesh- the right to a home and a piece of land for the landless peasants. The […]
As the torrential monsoon rain nearly paralyzed life in the villages of Kawkhali, 225 km south of the capital, an extraordinary activity among the villagers could never be ignored. Almost every one of the 14,000 or so households, poor or rich, had a ritual to perform. It is to plant saplings of either timber […]
