Tiger Widows

Thousands of men and women go into the Sundarbans forest in Southern Bangladesh every day to gather honey, collect firewood, or catch fish, putting themselves at great risk for a tiger attack. In almost every village there is a woman or man, commonly referred to as a "Tiger Widow", whose spouse has been a victim of a tiger attack. 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 Sundarbans forest officials have documented more than 1,000 women who have lost their husbands in tiger attacks.

Halima, 49, lives in Kodomtola. “My husband and son were killed by a tiger while collecting wood 9 months ago. They were alone, so no one knows exactly what happened but fishermen downstream heard the attack. They found my son’s body and then the tiger response team and villagers went into the jungle the next morning and found my husband’s body, which was almost entirely devoured by the tiger. When I heard the news I went mad. Only after they prepared and cleaned his body for burial would they let me see his face. When I saw him I went senseless and fainted. Before this incident I was much healthier. Now I just don't feel right. I have to work and I am physically not right to work. I make some money but once and a while I must ask neighbors for food. Sometimes I go a day without eating. When my husband was alive I didn't work. We always had enough and didn't want for anything. I regret that I wasn't able to help my son more. I wish I could have arranged for work in town for him; if I had sent him to school, this never would have happened. I was 12 years old when I got married. I wasn’t informed of the marriage until the day of the wedding; that’s just how it was. I was my husband’s second wife and he had three children from his previous marriage. They called me “mom,” which was so shocking because I was only 12 and one of my husband’s sons was almost 10. They loved me as if I was their real mom. My married life was very nice because my husband was very caring and loved me very much. I loved him a lot and miss him so much. I still cry for him.”
   
Rabia Begum, 30, lives in Kalinchy. Her husband, Anarul Shana, was killed by a tiger two years ago. “He went to the jungle in the early morning hour to fish and was attacked a few hours later. His companions brought him back to town and the villagers arranged for an ambulance to take him to the hospital, where he died. Now I work in the jungle, fishing. Prior to his death I didn't work. I was married at 13 years of age; my parents told me just 6 months before the wedding. I wanted an education because I wanted to be a primary school teacher but my parents were very poor and I had to obey them. My first month of marriage was very unhappy but after a month or so, I changed my mind; I was married and had to take care of my husband. I came to love him with all my heart and was very happy. I am still grieving for my husband. Now I have to work and am struggling so much; it’s hard for me to earn money. I have very little hope for the future. My biggest wish is to be able to educate my sons. I want them to succeed but I can’t arrange everything for them.”
   
Ali Moti is photographed in her home in Moturapur. She doesn't know how old she is, but guesses she is 25. Her husband, Nabo Kumar Mandol, was killed by a tiger last year while he was fishing in the Purakalla canal. Ali was cooking in her neighbor’s house when she was told about the attack. “When I heard this I was senseless, crying. I had to be carried home and was unconscious about 30 minutes. The forest response team took my husband’s body back to this town; I fainted again when I saw it.” Ali must work to support herself and her two children, as well as a brother and sister-in-law. She now has a job repairing the roads in her town and earns 1,500 taka (about 14 usd) per week. Her brother-in-law is too afraid to work in the jungle. He works on the mainland, and jobs are scarce; although he looks for work every day, he has not managed to find more than two days’ work each week. Her son catches crabs close to the mainland, not in the forest, making only 20-50 taka (18 to 46 cents) per day. “I was 15 when my mother and father told me I was going to be married. I didn't want to leave my parents and live with a man I didn’t know, so I tried to run away. My husband and I had a good marriage and a good life. He loved me and I was fortunate because my sister- in- law and I became very good friends. She will be married soon. I don’t miss my husband; I can survive by myself and take care of my son and daughter. Things are okay but sometimes I have to borrow money. Things are not good, but okay.”
     
  
Jungle Kumar Vungi, 41, lives in Milgung. His wife, Brinde Bai, was killed by a tiger a year and a half ago. “I was born and raised here. When we were married, I was 25 years old and Brinde Bai was 18. She died a year and a half ago from the tiger attack. My wife and I went into the jungle to collect crabs. We found no crabs, so on the way out we stopped to collect firewood. When we were walking back to the boat, the tiger jumped on her back. I never heard it coming; it was just suddenly on her. I made noises to scare it off but it dragged her into the jungle. When the tiger attacked I suddenly felt nothing. I thought my heart would stop and was terrified. I knew if I went into the jungle after her I would die as well; I knew she was dead when the tiger dragged her away. I went back to the village and arranged for 50 people to go back into the jungle and get her. Her body was about 20 meters from the place where she was attacked. After her death I became weaker. I never stop thinking about her. I remember over and over again that she died before my eyes. I have not gone into the jungle since her death. Now I work in town as a laborer. It brings me less money but I make enough to support my family. When my wife was alive our family was much healthier and wealthier. Now everything has declined. I remarried 7 months after her death and my new wife is too shy to work. I will never go into the jungle again. I miss her.”
   
Sockina, 37, lives in Kalinchi. Her husband was killed by a tiger two years ago. “My husband went to Tallpati in the jungle with 4 other men to fish. Around 1 pm he was attacked and the other men tried to save him. They carried him alive to our home. He was unconscious. A doctor came and tried to stop the bleeding from the back of his neck and chest. After half an hour he died. I was crying when I first saw him and I was terrified when he died. I thought, ‘How can I survive this?’ I miss him because when he was beside me I had less pressure to look for work. I didn't have to work before he died. Now I work 2 to 3 days a week. I look every day for work but I can’t find it. I was 15 when I found out I was to be married and I was afraid and I cried. We had a great marriage. I was happy.  I loved him and he took very good care of me. Now I have too many responsibilities. I am very unhappy and have no hope for the future. I pray to Allah for death.”
   
Khalil Gazi is photographed in his home 10 months after his wife Nasima was killed by a tiger. "I often think of Nasima when I am in the jungle and am sad when I remember how I had to carry her dead body out of the jungle. Now I have to keep living for my children because I have to educate them and try my best for them.”  Two months after Nasima's death, Khalil sought employment away from his village. He was unsuccessful in finding a job in Bandarban but eventually got a job as a laborer in Jessore, earning 500 taka (around 5 usd) per week. Illness forced him to move back to his village and he had to rely on his parents to pay 35,000 taka (324usd) for his medical treatment.  He still remains there and makes his living by collecting crabs from the canals, selling shrimp, and honey hunting.  He is worried about the tigers but feels that he has no other option. Although working as a laborer was safer, he earns more money now.  Three of his children go to school and he married Rena Begum five months ago. "The first time I entered the jungle after Nasima's death I was terrified and it took 4 to 5 months for me to feel normal in the jungle again.  Since being back home in the Sundarbans I am happier than I was before."
     
  
Shorifa Begum, 40, lives in Gabura. Her husband, Kaiser Mali, was killed by a tiger in 2010 and she is struggling to survive by carrying on the work that her husband used to do - fishing and collecting crabs. Married at age 13 and now the mother of seven children, Shorifa says, “Before he died, things were nice, but now they are uncertain. Sometimes there aren’t enough fish or crabs and some days I don't earn even one taka.”
   
Figoja Begum is photographed outside her home. Firoja's husband, Sheik Mujiber Rahaman, went honey hunting with four other people. As soon as they found the honey comb in the jungle the tiger jumped on the back of his neck and he died on the spot. The other men ran to the boat as the tiger was dragging the body away. When Firoja heard the news she fell to the floor crying and lost her mind with grief. Since the attack she is aloof and refuses to talk to anyone about what happened. Her neighbors say that she is half mad.