Durga Puja, the biggest religious festivals for Hindus, began on September 26 and ended on the 30th. The five-day festival begins with the “bodhon” (incarnation) of the Goddess Durga. While Durga is the focus of the celebration, other deities are also prominently featured and revered during the festival. The festival is one of the most colourful around with beautiful crafted idols dressed in many different hues and dazzling ornamentation. Artisans began to make the idols months before the festival and puja mandals are set up around the country. Devotees throng the festival areas in Chittagong in huge numbers. The religious festival culminates with the immersion of the idols of the goddess in rivers and water bodies around the country, in this case in the Bay in Patenga.

Before we can relish that fresh fish cooked in a combination of our favourite spices, a lot of hard work goes into bringing it on our plates. In Cox's Bazar, one can see the amount of dedication, courage and perseverance fishermen needed. An average trip means a seven day foray into deep sea with the powerful waves only one of many elements to be braved. Ten fishermen with one boat usually go into such week-long trips, risking their lives in the tempestuous sea, only to make living. The fishermen though aren't rewarded a deserving price for their labour nor for the fish they bring. Regardless, they go on, in a tradition passed down from generations, sometimes stuck in a vicious cycle of exploitation. The fruits of their labour are various; from hilsa, koral, loitta (Bombay duck) and many others. Businessmen buy the fish from them and send them around the country where they are loved, with some earmarked for export.

In the capital's Chawk Bazar, Gulistan, Mouchak, Malibagh and opposite the Nagar Bhaban , second hand consumer electronics are becoming highly popular. What they have on offer isn't always serviceable but people still find various uses for them. From discarded electronic parts, broken mobile phones, used table fans, computers, laptops and even a Sony PSP, a gaming device, can all be found here. Bilkis, an 8 year old seller, opposite Nagar Bhaban, makes a profit of Tk 300 per day selling old torches, headphones, irons and so on. An old mobile phone will set one back Tk 50, Tk 600 for a table fan, Tk 20 for headphones with prices depending on the condition of the wares. Many buyers even scavenge parts, fix electronics and sell for a higher mark up. The customers are usually from the lower-income groups, but in area, such as around Dhaka medical, patients come to buy what they need in case of an emergency. For instance, if one forgets to bring a charger and has to stay at the hospital overnight, even that is available for a low price of Tk 40.

"ADAR DOCTOR” has only one cure for most ailments of the teeth. He tells most people with toothaches to get rid of their bad tooth.

Oing back is like drowning in the sea, said a woman residing in a makeshift camp in Teknaf. Her sentiment is shared by more than

Hroughout the year the Gabtoli Cattle Market in the capital caters to the meatpacking industry but ahead of Eid-ul-Azha it serves a large

As city dwellers prepare to travel back home for their Eid holidays, a major stumbling block stands in their way. Highways and roads

Repair and development work with oversight and negligence has turned many streets of Dhaka virtually into obstacle courses, especially

Inadequate and clogged drainage is to blame for flooded city streets after downpour. Over the years, wholesale grabbing of the city's

In a small area in Keraniganj, right off the Buriganga, a road snakes its way through many small tin sheds. The sun's rays playfully bounce off a dazzling array of aluminium strewn about the otherwise nondescript structures. But here, this congregation of buildings work for one purpose: recycling. Some 10-12 recycling centres, employing 20-30 people each, diligently recycle huge amounts of aluminium. It works in a number of stages. First, the workers here visit various scrap metal shops in Lalbagh, Chawkbazar and Islambagh, collecting objects such as kitchen utensils, soda cans and deodorant bottles. These are then taken back to their little factories and the aluminium is extracted. The metal is first shredded, then melted in a furnace and finally moulded into shiny new bricks. The bricks are then sold off to factories where it is used for making brand new kitchen utensils and even pistons for motorbikes!

A five-day fish fair began in the city's Krishibid Institution Bangladesh, where around 37 stalls attracted hundreds of fish lovers of different ages from across the country. While highlighting the country's love for fish, the fair also informed the visitors about fish species and methods of rearing them. Some stalls showcased various species of fish preserved in glass jars and even live fish and others showed how to make the ideal fish farm. Tools used for fishing were also on display. Some of the freshest fish were on sale during the fair. To generate further interest, visitors were treated to demonstrations on how to rear their favourite fish in aquariums.

As the floodwaters recede, sighs of relief are quickly turning into cries of anguish. Areas around the country affected by river erosion are

The 100-year-old Kaikkar Tek Haat in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj sits in the early morning of Sundays during the rainy season.

With the advent of cheaper alternatives to make domestic utensils, the use of the heavier pewter has dwindled in Bangladesh. Beating the odds, some seven to eight families of Kasharipara in Uttar Dariabad of Jamalpur's Islampur continue to make such items out of this tin (25 percent) and copper (75 percent) alloy, and hold on to this centuries-old heritage, the adherents of which were once deemed aristocratic.

A month-long traditional fair begins every Baishakh in Durmut of Jamalpur centring the Urs (religious congregation) of a sufi saint, Hazrat Shah Kamal Yemeni. People of all ages, gender and religion throng the fair throughout the day and night from home and abroad. They soak up the colour and atmosphere of the fair, have snacks, watch the shows on offer and buy items on sale.

Like adding beautiful melody to a lyrical muse, embroidery is what brings your clothes to life. Come Eid, embroiderers get busy ornamenting otherwise dull pieces of fabric, embellishing them with flamboyance and flair. New Market has become a hub for such artisans who intricately combine their threads and needles to create stunning and varied motifs. Batik, puti, block prints and many other techniques are applied. In their hands, each fabric transforms into a work of art. The finished garments are then transferred to shops in New Market and there is never a shortage of buyers!

The enchanting Buddha's hand, a Tk 300,000 cactus, fragrances of a hundred fruits and a feast of flowers are the highlights of this year's

IVINE brushstrokes in the breeze produce a vibrant picture. Against the backdrop of drab grey concrete, explosions of colours dot the

Doing motorcycle stunts is becoming a craze among a certain group of young men. Daredevil bikers perform breath-taking stunts like wheelies and stoppies on usually deserted streets. They claim they try to ensure all cautionary measures, safety for themselves and others around. The photos were taken in 300-feet area near Purbachal. These bikers belong to a club called Haunt Ryderz.

The Karnaphuli river is dying. Over the years the rampant occupation of its shores and mindless pollution have left the river by the port