Chittagong Hill Tracts in all its magnificence

Speaking about the recently-held photography exhibition on ethnic people at the Dhaka Art Centre, Dhanmondi, Naba Baikram Kishore Tripura, ndc, Secretary Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, said that the credit for the show must go to amateur photographers Prosenjit Chakma, Jewel Chakma and Safina Ilyas.
ICI MOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) is an intergovernmental knowledge centre established in 1983 with the purpose of addressing poverty, susceptibility fragile eco-systems of Hindukush-Himalayan region. The Himalayan section comprising of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Bangladesh and Myanmar's per resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the UN December11it  has been designated as “International Mountain Day” to be observed by all member states, in order to create awareness about the mountain agenda.
The exhibition “Mountain: Key to Sustainable Future” presents a house with a boat in front. Behind are floating blue and lilac, clouds. There are trees and stumps of trees and grass on a hill.
In another photo, we see a bamboo raft with a rafter negotiating his way, against the backdrop are trees, bushes, ink and a blue sky with the green slope of hills. Cultivators, a fisherman with his catch and others form a compelling image.
Next, we see tiny thatched houses. Beyond them are trees and layers of the brown mountains. There is the overwhelming snow and ink-blue sky with clouds.
We move on to more pictures of snowy mountains with green, gray and brown hills as a background. We see the colours of the trees — brown and green – that merge with bluish green trees. There is flat lowland in between the two mountains.
We go on to see two women at work. They wear jackets, salwar-kameez, ornament and bangles. Beyond them are mountains of various shades of purple, which merge with the opal sky.
We see an old woman in a “pinong” in purple and red stripes. She is in a melon orchard, wearing a blouse with a compartment and holds an enormous melon. There are bushes of yellow flowers behind. We see just a bit of trees and houses in the background.
There are images of students and women bargaining in shops. There are other photos of women vegetable vendors. Shaven-headed monks in red and yellow robes make their way to a pagoda-like structure.
The photographs conjure up the magnificence of the Hill Tracts and the rich culture of the ethnic communities.
Elsewhere, Rangamati Hill District Council (RHDC) also held a cultural programme recently to mark International Mountain Day, at Municipality Hall Room in the town. Some 50 artists of Khudra Nrigosthi Institute -- Chakma, Marma, Tangchnagya, Tripura, Pankhua and Khiyang, from different corners of the district rendered solo and choral songs and gave dance performances. Several Bengali artists also performed folk songs.
Earlier, prizes were accorded to the marathon winners and children who participated in the art competition. Documentary film “Mountain Life” and “Caravan Himalaya” were also screened.