A garbage dump on the outskirts of Khulna, Bangladesh, stretches endlessly toward the horizon, forming a landscape that resembles unstable mountains. People from nearby impoverished communities climb these trash hills daily, carefully probing the ground for food or objects of even the slightest value. Each day, they face serious threats to their health, exposing themselves without protection to toxic substances, sharp materials, and contaminated waste. Despite the danger, the risk is unavoidable, as survival depends on it. Food scraps and the small income earned from selling found objects are often their only means of subsistence. The struggle for tomorrow - not a better one, but simply the possibility of another day is carried by both men and women. Around them, dogs and wild boars rummage through the heaps of garbage, driven by the same instinct to survive. Extreme poverty and the absence of prospects have reduced the needs of humans and animals alike to their most basic level. This photographic series seeks to reveal the resilience, determination, and harsh living conditions faced by the people of Bangladesh.
This body of work is connected by a close attention to human lives lived within difficult, complex, and often controversial conditions. The photographs focus on realities that are usually overlooked or kept at a distance, remaining close to people and the realities they inhabit, without turning away from discomfort or tension.
The images form a quiet confrontation with social and cultural realities that are easy to ignore. They illuminate the resilience, determination, and daily hardships of those whose lives are defined by necessity rather than choice, inviting the viewer to slow down, look carefully, and reflect on human stories that should not remain unseen.
nat.latka@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/_ohnatt/
Make Comment/View Comments
