As part of the Urban October 2025 celebrations, the CHORUS team at BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH) organized an Urban October Photography Exhibition at the BRAC University campus.

The exhibition sought to raise awareness and promote dialogue on Dhaka’s urban, environmental and health challenges, using photography as a powerful medium for storytelling and reflection. The event attracted around 3000 visitors and generated strong engagement from the university and wider community.

A total of 135 participants submitted over 300 photographs, organized into three broad categories, highlighting diverse perspectives on urban life, environments, and health in Dhaka:

1. A City in Crisis (Pollution) ~ Dhaka’s air, water, and waste systems under pressure.

– Breathless Dhaka – Air pollution, traffic smog, brick kilns, vehicle emissions.

– Noise Never Sleeps – Noise pollution from traffic, construction, and urban density.

– Choked Water Flow – Polluted Rivers, waterlogging, canals, lakes, and waste dumping.

– Waste and Workers – Informal and formal waste management, everyday struggles of city cleaners.

2. Living on the Edge (Urban Standards & Daily Struggles) ~ How the city’s design and growth shape our everyday lives.

– Stuck in Motion – Traffic congestion as a daily struggle: pollution, noise, stress, and loss of time.

– Concrete Over Green – Loss of green space, wetlands, trees, and biodiversity.

– Heat of the City – Urban heat islands, lack of shade, climate stress.

3. People at the Centre (Health & Hope) ~ The human side of urban living — from vulnerability to visions of change.

– People and Health – Children, elderly, and vulnerable groups facing the burden of urban challenges.

– Imagining a Clean Dhaka – Creative visions of resilience, urban greening, and hope.

From the over 300 photographs submitted, 40 outstanding images were carefully selected for display, capturing life in urban Dhaka. The exhibition also featured two creative installations, the Plastic-Polythene Man and the Wishing Willow Tree, made from reused materials.

The Plastic-Polythene Man was created with used plastics and polythene to create awareness about plastic pollution. The participatory Wishing Willow Tree invited visitors to write and hang their wishes, creating a collective reflection on urban hopes and concerns. Students of BRAC University wrote their wishes on their university, city, and personal goals. The event generated wide engagement and encouraged conversations on pollution, vulnerability, and the shared responsibility for a healthier urban future.