This is the last remaining Malar, a traditional boat of Bengal whose design dates back over 3,000 years. I have been documenting and working on this project for the past seven years. Due to rapid urbanization, this unique heritage is disappearing at an alarming rate.Preserving such heritage requires extensive restoration and overhauling every four years. This Malar boat, which is 93 feet long, is currently undergoing repairs under bamboo scaffolding — the only method available for such restoration. Over 100 skilled laborers are needed to pile both sides of the boat and carry out the intricate processes required to preserve its wooden hull.The preservation process is complex and labor-intensive, which is one of the reasons why this type of wooden boat is nearly extinct in Bangladesh today. In the 21st century, as we embrace modern development, we are simultaneously losing irreplaceable elements of our unique heritage and culture.
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