Marsha, Bangladesh

“I still miss everything about my life and who I was before I had to leave Bangladesh. My heart fills with sorrow every year on April 14th, the day of ‘Pahela boishakh’, our Bengali New Year. I used to prepare folk masks and crafts with my friends at the art college, the night before the festival. In the early morning, we would all dress up in traditional costumes for the ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’ procession. We’d cook and share special meals with freshwater fish, local vegetables, fruits and traditional sweet meats. In the afternoon, we’d stroll around the ‘Boishaki Mela’, an outdoor fair exploring our rural culture and heritage.
Like many women in Bangladesh, my mother had little education and was a full-time housewife. I now understand that she longed for financial independence and security to support her two daughters on her own.
While women’s rights in Bangladesh have improved, there is still a lot of resistance to change, which some see as going against traditional and religious values. It is still a deeply rooted patriarchal society where gender-based violence is common.
When I arrived in London, I had no financial or emotional support to help me adjust to a foreign country and culture. But I believed that if my resilience was strong and I set out to live a dignified and uncompromising life, I would eventually return to being myself again.
Living in the UK has given me opportunities my mother never had, as well as a greater sense of safety as a woman. I can travel freely at any hour, make my own choices, and I am not expected to be accompanied by a man or to live with one unless I choose to.
I couldn’t save my home nor any of our belongings, but I managed to hang on to a plastic zip bag of photos and negatives. Since then, my photos and I have endured hostility across three continents, the loss of loved ones, and the darkness of isolation.
Holding these photos lets me feel my aunt’s hug, taste the salty sea air near my home, and smell my mother’s cooking. They give me strength and remind me of the people, places, and memories that have shaped who I am today.”