Fragments: My Grandpa’s Story I Documented After He Suffered Multiple Strokes
My grandpa…Bidhu Bhusan Nath is an ex banker from Dhaka Bangladesh. A man of dedication who chose work as his love and working tirelessly to help grow the banking sector in the post war devastated Bangladesh, he retired in 1995 shortly after being promoted as the acting Managing Director of Bangladesh Shilpa bank later renamed as the Bangladesh Development Bank Limited.
As someone who has the gift of blending with people of all parts of life, he helped many businesses, irrespective of size to prosper, along with countless individuals who benefitted from him in lot of ways, personally or officially…he never sent anyone back empty handed.
Perhaps his obsession with work could have cast a shadow over his personal life. My grandma had Schizophrenia, but my grandpa managed to raise my mom and my uncle mostly on his own.
Recently after he suffered a few strokes I realized that I know very little about his life and works even though he has been my childhood inspiration. It was only after I learned about photographer Sarkar Protick from VII Photo Agency’s work on his own grandparents “What Remains” I thought about making a short visual documentary that captures fragments of his life and history through his photo collection, his treasured items, achievements and himself.
My grandpa with crutches in the background to help him walk after the strokes
Quite irregular in his daily routine, he still loves to do everything by himself
The signs of strokes still scars his image though not his mind
Even with weak eyes, he still recognizes his younger self
…and his name
Well he wasn’t tall
His first posting
Letter of recognition from the newly formed government for his dedication towards the bank during war
He was bright
And handsome, well…grandma was gorgeous though
Happy family with my grandma holding my mother
He loved his office and its people more than anything, except for family of course
I am sure he was smiling inside
My grandpa had three other brothers, with the younger ones and their wives in the picture
Probably during the peak of his career as a banker
Oops couldn’t find any suitable caption for this one…you are free to make one
Happy couple of course
And then my grandpa passed away silently one morning…leaving him alone
He isn’t crying in this photo, but he is
Fast forward now, he stares at nothing, probably unsure wheather he has anything else to offer to this cruel world, that has mostly returned him empty handed
Well he dresses up, ready to face another afternoon
This was my grandma’s watch, along with few items that are left
His old Japanese TV, probably older than me
Some of his old suites still hangs in his wardrobe
This belonged to my grandma too
The top one is very important in the present, not sure about the bottom one
Does he like this version of him? Probably not, why would he?
I am sure he doesn’t want to turn to fragments, he deserves better
Will he? I just wish he doesn’t, he wont, to us, till eternity.
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