Gabura : The Tiger Widow Village

Gabura : The Tiger Widow Village (ongoing project)

Photo Essay by : Ashish Peter Gomes

Nearly half a million people in Bangladesh depend on the Sundarbans for their livelihood. Thousands of men and women go into the Sundarbans forest in Southern Bangladesh every day to gather honey, collect firewood, or catch fish, crabs and putting themselves at great risk for a tiger attack. In almost every village there is a woman or man, commonly the women are referred to as a “Bagh Bidhoba” that is "Tiger Widow", whose spouse has been a victim of a tiger attack. Gabura is one of the village where most of the tiger widows are found. Some people say tiger widow village.

It is thought that around 80 people are killed every year by the tigers on the Bangladeshi side of the Sundarbans forests and the number is quite high in Satkhira Range of Sundarban.  The men usually re-marry within a few months, but the women do not. As most women are wed when they are still children (usually between the age of 9-14) they have virtually no skills outside the home, and end up living a life of poverty, barely able to support their children. The Sundarban forest officials have documented more than 1,000 women who have lost their husbands in tiger attacks. Now a day there are few multinational donor firms running their projects to reduce poverty and forest going tendency. 

Mosammat Kulsum (28) lost her husband on Tiger attack. Her husband Abdul Samad Killed in 2009 and he was 35 years then. She has three daughters and lives with her mother’s Family.

Shaheda Banu (60) lost her husband on Tiger attack. Her husband Bashir Khan Killed in 2005 and she has 2 daughter.

Saleha Khatun (42) lost her husband on Tiger attack. Her husband Shahadat Sheikh Killed in 2008 and he was 35 years then

Rahima Khatun (60) went to Sundarbaan Forest to collect Crab with her husband and both were attacked by tiger. Her husband died on spot.

Halima 55 years, Her husband Mohammed Ali gazi killed in the year 2006. She has 6 children

Hosneara (23) her husband Habibur Rahman (28) was killed by Tiger in the year 2009.  She has two sons. Elder Son is 6 and younger is 4 years old.

Maya Khatun, Her Husband Rashid Gazi killed 4 yrs ago (2008), She has 3 sons.

Kad Banu (42), Her husband Wahed Gazi killed  by tigers 8 yrs ago. She has 6 children.

Tara Bibi (67), mother of Abdul Mazid Gazi, Gazi killed 15 yrs ago by tiger. Tara also lost her husband by Tiger attack.

Sagiron Begum (60), Her husband Md. Mohiuddin Gazi killed 35 yrs ago by tiger attack, She has 6 children.