Bangladesh is a land of rivers. The bends and curves of its waterways reveal the serene beauty of rural life. Since my childhood, I’ve had a special fascination for river journeys. Even though I can't swim, being near a river fills me with an indescribable joy. My ancestral home is in the Barishal district of Bangladesh and as the saying goes, "Canals, rivers, and wetlands stretch for miles in Barishal." I’ve always loved village life, but rivers are my true source of inspiration.
During the monsoon season, rivers in Bangladesh swell with water, flowing with strong currents. Traveling by boat at this time has a unique charm boats glide swiftly with the current, turning a simple ride into a small adventure.
These pictures are taken from the ArialKha River Side, Shibchar, Bangladesh .
However, the monsoon also brings out the river’s wild, untamed side, and the people living along its banks often bear the brunt of this transformation. The calm rivers of winter and summer turn fierce without warning. Water overflows and submerges the lower parts of homes, as if nature and people are locked in a silent, seasonal negotiation. The sky, heavy with thick clouds, signals more rain , more turbulence ahead.
When the water rises, boats become lifelines. For some, they are a way to reach the market. For others, they become floating homes or sources of livelihood. The lush greenery, floating water hyacinths, and endless water paint a picture that is both breathtaking and starkly real.
In a densely populated, developing country like ours, monsoon river journeys are not just about enjoying natural beauty. They mirror the harsh realities of life and the constant fight to survive. This mix of struggle and haunting beauty is a common sight in almost all river-adjacent areas of Bangladesh during the monsoon. Nature, at once a protector and a destroyer, cloaks its fury in such enchanting beauty that we can’t help but fall under its spell. And this spell becomes vividly real each time the monsoon arrives.
My limited pocket money or tight budget has never been an obstacle to my love for rivers. Even if I can’t travel far, I always manage to find a way to go on a boat ride in the Jayanti or Arial Khan River that flows by my village home during the monsoon season, even if it means spending just a small portion of my modest budget. I believe that traveling lifts the spirit, and that travel is the greatest nourishment for the soul.