Pohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, is the most colourful cultural celebration in Bangladesh where art, ritual, music, agriculture, labour, colour and community life merge together. This 7-Day Pohela Boishakh Cultural Photography Tour is not a sightseeing trip, but a cultural immersion. Guests will experience urban rituals, rural festivals, life of industrial labour, river culture and agricultural traditions aligned with the Bengali New Year. This tour is perfect for foreign photographers, visual storytellers, cultural travellers and documentary lovers. The tour is guided by an experienced professional tour guide in Dhaka, Istiyak Ahamed Srabon, who goes beyond the usual landmarks.
Cultural immersion: dive deep into the vibrant traditions and everyday life of Bangladesh.
Celebrate Pohela Boishakh in the heart of Dhaka
Celebrate Pohela Boishakh in the heart of Dhaka. Picture Mangal Shobhajatra, the symbolic New Year rally. Paper on Lal Kach Festival & Chaluk Puja of Rural Bengal. Buriganga River Life & Shipyards Experience. Visit brick kilns, rice mills and textile drying villages. Capture people, rituals, work and everyday culture.
Engage with artisans, performers, and local communities in their daily routines. Photograph intimate portraits in colorful markets and tea gardens. Bangladesh offers some of the richest and most diverse human stories in the world.
Capture the vibrant energy of Dhaka’s bustling markets and streets. Photograph daily rituals, tea gardens, and traditional village life for candid human moments. Document unique industrial narratives, river life, and historic settings to frame striking urban and cultural shots.
Feb 7 – 18, 2027 – (3rd edition revisited) – ONE MORE GOOD TO GO !
Feb 13 – 24, 2028 – (4th edition)
01 Person: $4100
02 to 04 Person: $3500
We believe in quality, personalised tuition with a ratio 1:6 maximum.
Very comfortable 4-star hotel everywhere.
Easy (2/5). Flat ground, walking 4-5km per day, hot and humid weather. Short drives to optimize our time on locations!
See more photos taken during the workshop >>
We also offer private and customized guided photo tours
This 7-day Pohela Boishakh cultural photography workshop focuses on Dhaka, Munshiganj, Brahmanbaria, and Narayanganj, with short trips to local villages, heritage sites, and cultural hubs for authentic experiences.
Duration: 7 days
Accommodation: Stay hotel in main cities
Transport: All transportation (AC private vehicle, rickshaw, CNG, boats, ferries)
Guided by: Professional photographer and lead guide Istiyak Ahamed Srabon
Throughout the journey, participants focus on documentary-style photography, engaging directly with local communities, festival participants, and industrial workers. Early morning shoots in bustling markets, vibrant New Year processions, and intimate cultural and festival sessions provide endless opportunities to capture real moments and emotions.
By the end of the workshop, photographers return home with a compelling collection of images that reflect the living traditions, human stories, and authentic spirit of Bangladesh.
First we start recording life in the day before the festive mood sets in. Karwan Bazar is a story of labour, trade and organised chaos. Kamalapur Railway Station is a place where people move, transient emotions teem. The day ends at Lalbagh Fort, where the Mughal architecture provides a soothing contrast to the modern city that surrounds it.
It is a day to celebrate rare community rituals born of agrarian life. Chaluk Puja is done for getting protection, blessings for good harvest, and spiritual well-being. In the eye-catching Lal Kach (Red Glass) Festival, participants carry red glass objects meant to ward off evil and welcome prosperity before the New Year.
In celebration, the streets are painted in the colours of the Bengali New Year, Pohela Boishakh. Art students made masks, animal motifs and symbolic sculptures for the iconic Mangal Shobhajatra procession – a movement of cultural resistance. Dressed in red and white, the participants sing traditional songs in a powerful visual expression of Bengali identity.
Discover the river-based urban life of Dhaka, including the boats, ferries, porters, and passengers at Sadarghat. Over the river on the other side, shipyards build, repair and dismantle ships, all by hand. An intense story of labour and skills. The day ends at Ahsan Manzil, which is a reminder of the aristocratic past of Dhaka.
Capturing the raw human stories, vibrant cultural festivals, and breathtaking heritage landscapes of Bangladesh through immersive documentary photography expeditions.