Personal Favorites of 2013.

So last night somebody asked me to put up my 15 favorite photographs of 2013. I was skeptical at first but then I thought it would make an interesting blog post. Once I started working on them today morning, I just couldn't keep it under 20. So, here are my 20 favorite photographs of the year, set in chronological order.

"Act of Kindness", part of my long term project "The Neighbours". Jan'2013.

"Poush Shongkranti", a festival celebrated by flying kites and exploding fireworks in the old parts of Dhaka. Jan'2013. 

Sumon,12, had to drop out school since the school building was broken down by attackers. Sumon works in his father's makeshift tea stall.
January '2013.

A protester asks for death sentence of a war criminal. After 42 years of independence, Bangladesh finally went ahead with the filed cases against the war criminals of 1971. February'2013.

A bride waits inside her "Palki" before getting down to attend her wedding ceremony. March'2013.

A homeless beggar sleeps on the stairs beside a main road in Dhaka,Bangladesh.  April'2013.

A train master infront of the inter-city train at Komolapur Railway Station, Dhaka. Trains. The country saw many strikes and even train lines were uprooted on many occasions. April'2013.

Portrait of  a ship-breaking yard worker. Bangladesh happens to be one of the very few countries in the world to still continue this industry- one that is known to have adverse health effects due to the pollution it creates. June'2011

"Soul Peeking", part of my project "Wedding Guests". Dhaka, Bangladesh. June'2013.

Homeless children, sleeping on the streets of Chittagong, very early morning, still dreaming about a different world. Part of my series "The Dreamers". July'2013.

A passenger tries to enter a crowded train through the window before the annual celebration of 'Eid Ul Fitr'. Aug'2013.

Fishermen/ Net repairing workers taking a well deserved break from work. Part of my project "The Dreamers". Aug'2013.

A rickshaw ride in the rain, part of my "Monsoon Songs" project. Coxs Bazar, Chittagong. September 2013.

"Into the blue", taken at Coxs Bazar, the world's longest beach.  September'2013.

Jahanara, in his mid 60s, begs to earn a living. Its not easy for her to run the family. her husband was once a daily labour worker, but then he met with an accident a few hours earlier which compelled Jahanara to beg for a lving. Chittagong, Bangladesh. September'2013.

My grandmother on an ordinary evening. Part of my long term project on my her. September'2013.

Visitors doing their individual activities. Jaflong, Sylhet.

The butchers use a couple of ropes to tie the legs and pull them in order to drop the cow to the ground before slaughtering it on the day of Eid-ul-Adha. Chittagong, Bangladesh. October'2013.

A beggar, asking for some help from the passengers of the auto-rickshaw. November'2013.

It was a special day in Mowmita's life. She was getting married.But then, due to the political unrest and strikes in the country, she couldn't use any private transport to travel from the beauty parlor to her home. December'2013.

The last journey.

One of two major Muslim festivals, Eid-Ul-Adha(Festival of Sacrifice) is celebrated from the time of Prophet Abraham when he was initially asked to sacrifice his beloved son Ismael in the name and path of God. Later, God revised it to sacrificing a four legged cattle. The sacrifice of the cattle is a symbolic one, depicting the sacrfice the animal instincts in humans. And the meat of the cattle is distributed in 3 equal parts-one for the host, one for the relatives and one for the underprivileged ones. The cattle chosen for the sacrifice is bought with a lot of care and attention, since it is a direct offering for the Lord. The cattle, in return live the best death one could wish for.

The warmth of Friendship