A different place
By Abul Kalam
Not far from the congested Kutupalong refugee camp where I live, there is a body of water filled with water lotus. It’s a very peaceful place. I went there early morning to take some shots. And I found a spectacular show waiting for me. Thousands of lotus flowers were in blossom.
In Rohingya language, we call it “Onla ful.” In Bangla language, this flower is called “shapla ful.” This is Bangladesh’s national flower — in particular the white variant. The flowers you can see on this page will be harvested and sold along with their stems. You can buy three for only 5 takas. The flower is edible and kids love to eat the stamen of the flower. The stem can also be eaten. It is chopped up like a vegetable and fried or cooked in a stew.
As a refugee, I feel that even looking at a place like this is good for my health.
Words translated by Shafiur Rahman.
