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Shahidul Alam: A Singular Voice in Photography for Dignity and Human Rights Shahidul Alam: A Singular Voice in Photography for Dignity and Human Rights
(1 day later)
Shahidul Alam grimaced as he staggered on his way into a Dhaka courthouse on Aug. 6. Handcuffed and surrounded by the police, he loudly proclaimed he had been tortured after more than 30 plainclothes officers snatched him from his home the night before.Shahidul Alam grimaced as he staggered on his way into a Dhaka courthouse on Aug. 6. Handcuffed and surrounded by the police, he loudly proclaimed he had been tortured after more than 30 plainclothes officers snatched him from his home the night before.
Mr. Alam, an internationally known photographer, educator and human rights advocate, was detained shortly after giving an interview to Al Jazeera and posting a series of live videos on Facebook that criticized the government’s violent response to two weeks of student-led protests that began over road safety. Many photojournalists covering the protests, including Mr. Alam, have been attacked by the police and armed gangs linked to the ruling Awami League party.Mr. Alam, an internationally known photographer, educator and human rights advocate, was detained shortly after giving an interview to Al Jazeera and posting a series of live videos on Facebook that criticized the government’s violent response to two weeks of student-led protests that began over road safety. Many photojournalists covering the protests, including Mr. Alam, have been attacked by the police and armed gangs linked to the ruling Awami League party.
He has now been charged under Section 57 of Bangladesh’s Information Communications Technology Act, which lets the authorities arrest people who criticize the government online. He will remains in jail at least until Sept. 11, when he will have a hearing on a bail request that was filed this week. He has now been charged under Section 57 of Bangladesh’s Information Communications Technology Act, which lets the authorities arrest people who criticize the government online. He remains in jail at least until Sept. 11, when he will have a hearing on a bail request that was filed this week.
Human rights organizations, as well as journalism and photography groups, have loudly protested his imprisonment. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Bangladeshi authorities “to immediately halt widespread attacks on journalists covering ongoing student protests in Dhaka and to release photographer Shahidul Alam from jail.” Omar Waraich, Amnesty International’s deputy director for South Asia, demanded his immediate and unconditional release. “There is no justification whatsoever for detaining anyone for solely peacefully expressing their views,” he said.Human rights organizations, as well as journalism and photography groups, have loudly protested his imprisonment. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Bangladeshi authorities “to immediately halt widespread attacks on journalists covering ongoing student protests in Dhaka and to release photographer Shahidul Alam from jail.” Omar Waraich, Amnesty International’s deputy director for South Asia, demanded his immediate and unconditional release. “There is no justification whatsoever for detaining anyone for solely peacefully expressing their views,” he said.
Over three decades photographing in Bangladesh, Mr. Alam has covered major events, natural disasters, governmental upheavals, the deaths of thousands of garment factory workers and the struggle against human rights abuses. He has also used his photography to challenge the Bangladeshi government and military on freedom of speech issues and the “disappearances” of their political opponents.Over three decades photographing in Bangladesh, Mr. Alam has covered major events, natural disasters, governmental upheavals, the deaths of thousands of garment factory workers and the struggle against human rights abuses. He has also used his photography to challenge the Bangladeshi government and military on freedom of speech issues and the “disappearances” of their political opponents.
But, just as important, he has helped to produce generations of Bangladeshi documentarians, and also built the infrastructure for them to tell their own stories. For 30 years, his Pathshala South Asian Media Institute has trained scores of talented photographers and helped Bangladesh gain a reputation for its vibrant photo community. The Chobi Mela photo festival, which he started in 1999, brings photographers from around the world to Dhaka, the capital. The Drik Photo Agency, which he started in 1989, sells stories produced by Bangladeshi photographers to media outlets worldwide.But, just as important, he has helped to produce generations of Bangladeshi documentarians, and also built the infrastructure for them to tell their own stories. For 30 years, his Pathshala South Asian Media Institute has trained scores of talented photographers and helped Bangladesh gain a reputation for its vibrant photo community. The Chobi Mela photo festival, which he started in 1999, brings photographers from around the world to Dhaka, the capital. The Drik Photo Agency, which he started in 1989, sells stories produced by Bangladeshi photographers to media outlets worldwide.
He has also confronted the Western media outlets that he believes hold a virtual monopoly on how countries like Bangladesh are portrayed — or, more to the point, how they are inaccurately portrayed. “Patronizing storytelling has been damaging to the psyche of Bangladeshis and to the economy,” he said in an interview with Lens in 2013. “Photos of Bangladesh have been used to propagate a colonial view of the world, and as a result, Bangladesh is only known for poverty and disaster.”He has also confronted the Western media outlets that he believes hold a virtual monopoly on how countries like Bangladesh are portrayed — or, more to the point, how they are inaccurately portrayed. “Patronizing storytelling has been damaging to the psyche of Bangladeshis and to the economy,” he said in an interview with Lens in 2013. “Photos of Bangladesh have been used to propagate a colonial view of the world, and as a result, Bangladesh is only known for poverty and disaster.”
Mr. Alam knows that poverty is part of his country’s story, but when reporting focuses only on that, he says, it presents a damaging, narrow view. Rarely, he said, do the Western media — or the foreign photographers they assign — portray the country’s rich culture.Mr. Alam knows that poverty is part of his country’s story, but when reporting focuses only on that, he says, it presents a damaging, narrow view. Rarely, he said, do the Western media — or the foreign photographers they assign — portray the country’s rich culture.
“There is an African saying which I relate to, which goes, ‘Until the lions find their storytellers, stories about hunting will always glorify the hunter,’” he said. “We have to be our own storytellers. We also have to ensure that we are sensitive and respectful of our subjects, and that people have dignity in the way that they’re portrayed.”“There is an African saying which I relate to, which goes, ‘Until the lions find their storytellers, stories about hunting will always glorify the hunter,’” he said. “We have to be our own storytellers. We also have to ensure that we are sensitive and respectful of our subjects, and that people have dignity in the way that they’re portrayed.”
He does not have a problem with “white Western photographers or anyone else telling my story,” he said in a 2017 interview with Lens, “because my point of view needs to be challenged as much anyone else’s.” He does, however, have “serious issues when the white Western photographer has the monopoly on the telling of my story, which is often the case.”He does not have a problem with “white Western photographers or anyone else telling my story,” he said in a 2017 interview with Lens, “because my point of view needs to be challenged as much anyone else’s.” He does, however, have “serious issues when the white Western photographer has the monopoly on the telling of my story, which is often the case.”
Mr. Alam was a lone voice 25 years ago when he started prodding international photo organizations like World Press Photo to support photographers from all countries and to have more diverse judges for their contests. In recent years, others have joined his fight against stereotypical representation in photojournalism. Photographers and editors attending this year’s New York Portfolio Review got a firsthand glimpse of his passion — and genuine warmth — during a lively discussion he had with David Gonzalez, the Lens blog co-editor. As he often does, Mr. Alam — who has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from London University — explained how he rejects term like third world. Most of the world’s people, he said, live in these countries, so he uses the term “majority world.”Mr. Alam was a lone voice 25 years ago when he started prodding international photo organizations like World Press Photo to support photographers from all countries and to have more diverse judges for their contests. In recent years, others have joined his fight against stereotypical representation in photojournalism. Photographers and editors attending this year’s New York Portfolio Review got a firsthand glimpse of his passion — and genuine warmth — during a lively discussion he had with David Gonzalez, the Lens blog co-editor. As he often does, Mr. Alam — who has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from London University — explained how he rejects term like third world. Most of the world’s people, he said, live in these countries, so he uses the term “majority world.”
He helped found the Majority World photo agency in 2007 to expand opportunities for African, Latin American and Asian visual storytellers. Last year he joined with Women Photograph, Diversify, Everyday Projects and Native Agency to form Reclaim, an umbrella organization of like-minded groups devoted to expanding opportunities in photography for women and men of diverse backgrounds.He helped found the Majority World photo agency in 2007 to expand opportunities for African, Latin American and Asian visual storytellers. Last year he joined with Women Photograph, Diversify, Everyday Projects and Native Agency to form Reclaim, an umbrella organization of like-minded groups devoted to expanding opportunities in photography for women and men of diverse backgrounds.
Mr. Alam has had many encounters with Bangladeshi authorities throughout his career. His 2013 exhibit about extrajudicial disappearances of government opponents was shut down by the police minutes before the show was to open. Undeterred, Mr. Alam and his associates put on an impromptu exhibit in the streets outside the gallery. In 2009, an exhibition of photographs of Tibet at the Drik Gallery provoked the Chinese government to pressure the Bangladeshi government and riot police to shut down the show. And 18 years ago, when the Drik Gallery was the meeting place for government opponents, Mr. Alam was pulled out of a rickshaw by a group of men who stole his computer and camera and stabbed him eight times.Mr. Alam has had many encounters with Bangladeshi authorities throughout his career. His 2013 exhibit about extrajudicial disappearances of government opponents was shut down by the police minutes before the show was to open. Undeterred, Mr. Alam and his associates put on an impromptu exhibit in the streets outside the gallery. In 2009, an exhibition of photographs of Tibet at the Drik Gallery provoked the Chinese government to pressure the Bangladeshi government and riot police to shut down the show. And 18 years ago, when the Drik Gallery was the meeting place for government opponents, Mr. Alam was pulled out of a rickshaw by a group of men who stole his computer and camera and stabbed him eight times.
Despite threats and attacks, Mr. Alam has not wavered in his commitment to human rights and using photography to advocate democracy, equality and freedom of expression.Despite threats and attacks, Mr. Alam has not wavered in his commitment to human rights and using photography to advocate democracy, equality and freedom of expression.
“It’s very important for me what footprint I leave behind,” he said in 2017. “How I’ve influenced, or not, the world I live in. I’ve tried in some ways to intervene so that the world that I live in is in some way different than the way I found it. Hopefully for the better.”“It’s very important for me what footprint I leave behind,” he said in 2017. “How I’ve influenced, or not, the world I live in. I’ve tried in some ways to intervene so that the world that I live in is in some way different than the way I found it. Hopefully for the better.”
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