Polo Bawa is a century-old traditional fishing festival in Bangladesh. Hundreds of people including villagers, fishermen take part in this festival spontaneously with “polo”, a bamboo-made fish-catching trap, in knee-deep water forgetting their woes of the summer and cheering with their mates when they trap fishes with their polo.
Polo Bawa festival usually takes place in late winter as the water of the low land area began to dry up and the farmlands aren’t prepared yet to harvest new crops at the riverine regions of the country. So people of all ages, sitting idle at home or yarning for an adventure, participates in the festival while hundreds of others enjoyed the event.
In the festival, two groups consisting of 40 to 50 fishermen each, takes place opposite of each other and catches fishes like Wallagos, Ghagats, Tengras, Swamp barbs, with their polo.
About Ayman Nakib
I am Ayman Nakib, a street and documentary photography enthusiast based in Bangladesh. I am currently working as a volunteer at Oxfam in Bangladesh. Looking forward to a career in the Development sector. I am also undergoing a Documentary Photography Mentorship program under a well established Documentary Photographer Mohammad Rakibul Hasan from Bangladesh.
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