Leather Hell of Dhaka

Tannery industries of Hazaribagh situated in a heavily populated residential area. Inside the factories, shirtless workers stretch freshly dyed sheets of goat and cattle hide across industrial drying racks. But outside, under the glaring sun, it’s clear who’s paying the price. Conditions are nightmarish for the 16,000-plus tannery workers, whose first and secondary exposures to harsh chemicals are said to have reduced life expectancy to less than 50. In the bowels of the M/B Tannery, employees without gloves load chemicals such as chromium and sodium formate into giant churning drums of animal hides. 

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop

The Holy Evening

Hundreds of Hindu devotees pray to God in front of Shri Shri Lokanath Brahmachar Ashram temple at Baradi, Narayanganj during the Kartik Brato or Rakher Upobash. During this festival Hindu devotees fast and pray in earnest to the gods for their favors. These photographs were taken on November 4, 2014.

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop

Self-portraits

A Sacred Evening

Hundreds of Hindu devotees pray to God in front of Baba Lokanath Temple at Swamibagh, Dhaka during the Kartik Brato or Rakher Upobash. During this festival Hindu devotees fast and pray in earnest to the gods for their favors. These photographs were taken on November 11, 2014.

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop

Bundles of 'Shapla'

The national flower of Bangladesh is Shapla (Water Lily). Shapla is a flower floating at ease in almost every water bodies of the country. Beels haors, brooks, ponds etc. are abodes of this flower. In Bangladesh this beautiful flower is mainly used as vegetable. Farmers in many parts of Bangladesh provide bundles of Water Lily to meet the demand of consumers. They don't need to crop Water Lilies; they collect them from lakes and ponds in Monsoon season. These photos were taken in Sreenagar Upazila of Munshiganj, near Dhaka of 5th August, 2014.     

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop 

A Great Departure

Hindu devotees immerse the idol of Goddess Durga in the Buriganga River in Dhaka on 4 October, 2014 marking the end of the Durga Puja, is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga.

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop

Floating Lives

Let's consider the people who have no shelter. They have their meals on the streets and sleep on the pavements of mega city Dhaka. Floating people or slum dwellers are the most vulnerable group of people in the country. This group consists of people who are being pushed out of rural areas due to loss of properties caused by floods, debt or other disasters and people who are being pulled to Dhaka city by the promises of better opportunities.

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop

Birth of Devi Durga

The making of Goddess Durga, is the mother of the universe and believed to be the power behind the work of creation, preservation, and destruction of the world. Durga, within Indian Hinduism, is believed to be one of the female incarnations of the God Shiva. "Pals" (idol makers from generation) - are getting busy as Durga Puja; the biggest festival of Hindu community knocks at the door. Pal's business is always at its peak during this time of the year. Despite the decreasing number in this profession there are still some hundred idol makers practicing the traditional profession. These photographs were taken in Narayanganj, is a port-district in central Bangladesh.

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop

Fears & Tears

The passenger-packed launch named Pinak 6 that sank in Padma River near Munshiganj’s Louhajang Upazila, Bangladesh with over 300 passengers on 4th August, 2014.  Authority made a list of total 120 passengers who are still missing according to the information of the relatives. The search operation for sunken passenger launch declared end, eight days after the launch capsized in the river. 126 passengers were still missing. Bangladesh is criss-crossed by more than 230 rivers and boats are the main form of travel. However many of the vessels in use date back to before independence in 1971. More than 95 percent boats do not meet minimum safety regulations. August is monsoon season in Bangladesh, when rivers run high, so river accidents occurs.

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop

Under the White Hills

‘Sada Matir Pahar' (Hill of China Clay) located at Bijoypur, Durgapur in Netrokona District. Netrakona is situated in the northern part of Bangladesh, near the Meghalayan border. Indigenous communities such as GARO and Hajang belong to this upazila. Durgapur is one of the main sources of coountry's China-clay (Sada Mati) used for various ceramic goods. A number of  clay-mine workers work here, the majority of whom are Garos and Hajongs. Women's earnings however, are lower than men's earnings. If a male worker earns Tk 170 a day, doing the same work a female worker gets Tk 150 a day. Not only that there is no occupational health and safety management system. Clay-mine workers may lack knowledge of their rights and laws and are often unable to defend themselves from abusive and slavery-like practices.

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop

Abandoned 'engineers'

Around 200 large shops, garages and lathe workshops mushroomed in Dholai Khal, as the need for services outgrew the capacity of the small market on English Road.
Soon with the increasing number motor vehicles on the roads the number of traders spiralled up. Some say around six lakh people in one form or another are now involved in businesses at Dholai Khal.People with no training and in cases no education began working in Dholai Khal with skills learnt from their fathers or just by watching other workers doing it. 

© Sudeepto Salam/ Photoffee ArtShop