FEATHERS OF ASH
A Pacific reef heron just about to snack on a ghost crab on the Saint Martin’s Island. These birds, while found throughout southern Asia and Oceania, are rarely sighted in Bangladesh as they are migratory. When they make a stopover in our country, they can be seen near rocky coastal areas, coral reefs, mangrove-lined shores or sandy beaches where they can find plenty of food – mainly oceanic fish, crustaceans, molluscs and worms. What makes Pacific reef herons, otherwise known as eastern reef egrets, is their unusual, non-sexual dimorphism, with some of them having entirely white plumage and others being charcoal-grey. The reason behind this colour variation, or “morph”, is still unknown, but is considered to be related to camouflage purposes. Photo: Timu Hossain
Dust and smog cover Savar’s Aminbazar area due the ongoing construction work of the second bridge and road development work in Gabtoli, causing the locals to suffer. Dhaka has consistently been topping the list of cities with unhealthy air quality. The photo was taken yesterday.
Photo: Palash Khan
With desperation etched on their faces, women from the low-income group were clamouring for their shares of daily essentials at subsidised rates from a TCB truck near the Khulna Railway Primary School yesterday. As the prices keep soaring even during Ramadan, their only hope for fair prices is the TCB trucks, for which they wait for hours under the scorching sun.
Photo: Habibur Rahman/File
