Witness a herd of buffaloes wandering through parched landscapes during a devastating drought, a farmer wading knee-deep through floodwaters with his cows, and a bridge traversing a multicolored river of trash. These captivating and unsettling scenes were captured in the Environmental Photographer of the Year 2023 competition, with all three striking images originating from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is one of the world’s most susceptible countries to the effects of climate change, ranking seventh in the latest Global Climate Risk Index based on data from 2000 to 2019. The country is plagued by cyclones, tornadoes, and floods, with an estimated projection that by 2050, one in every seven people will be displaced due to climate change.
Shafiul Islam, a Bangladeshi photographer, believes it’s vital to draw attention to these threats through gripping imagery. His photo of buffaloes depicts the severe droughts affecting the north of the country in recent decades, resulting in dried-up rivers, canals, and reservoirs, plummeting crop production, and extensive suffering within local communities.
In contrast, 18-year-old Solayman Hossain’s powerful photo captures a farmer navigating through floodwaters during monsoon season in the Kushtia district, painting a vivid picture of the growing environmental challenges. Hossain emphasizes the frequent flooding and cyclones that have devastated his village, destroying crops and livelihoods.
Photography on the frontlines
The Environmental Photographer of the Year competition, sponsored by WaterBear and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management in partnership with Nikon, attracted submissions from over 159 countries, with three of the six winning images originating from Bangladesh.
Sam Sutaria, CEO of WaterBear, emphasizes Bangladesh’s immediate climate crisis, making it a breeding ground for impactful photography. He points out that this year’s competition saw entries from other climate-threatened regions like India, West Bengal, Antarctica, and Argentina, demonstrating that photographers on the front lines are using their art to raise awareness and incite change.
The winning photo in the “MPB vision of the future” category, taken by Jahid Apu, showcases a bridge in Dhaka, engulfed by a sea of plastic waste. Apu’s intention is to highlight the consequences of plastic pollution and prompt viewers to reflect on their environmental impact.
Sutaria believes that this year’s winning images represent a paradigm shift in environmental photography, moving away from portraying untouched nature to images that carry a conservation message. He underscores the urgency of protecting the environment and the need to address global climate challenges.
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