Yesterday (25March, 2010) more than hundred photographers, photojournalists & social activists participated in the Human Chain. It was not only a symbolic protest by the Bangladeshi photographers against the ban of a symbolic photo exhibition & installation on CROSSFIRE by Shahidul Alam. They also have showed their support against the oppression and raised their voice for “Freedom of Expression”.
We are grateful to everyone who joined us. Thanks to all who couldn’t join but were present in spirit.
It was a great honor to have senior photographer Nahar Ahmed with us.
The Participants were:
Pathshala Students/Teachers/Alumni
Bangladesh Photography Society (BPS)
Photojournalists
North South University Photography Club (NSUPC)
BUET Photography Society (BUETPS)
Dhaka University Photography Society (DUPS)
Through The Lens: Bangladesh (TTL)
Bangladeshi Photographers (BP)
Gana Shanghoti Andolon
Bangla Online Community (Amnesty International).
As a symbol of protest we put red cloth on our cameras.
UPDATE:
PRESS RELEASE (from Drik)
GALLERY SERVES LEGAL NOTICE ON GOVERNMENT DEMANDING JUSTICE
Drik Picture Library has served a legal notice on the government demanding an end to a police blockade of a photography exhibition on Crossfire.
Lawyers for Drik have written to the Bangladesh Government’s secretary for Home Affairs, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner after police surrounded the gallery gates to prevent people from entering an exhibition on Crossfire by photojournalist and Drik managing director, Shahidul Alam.
In the notice, Supreme Court lawyer Sara Hossain has called on the government to immediately remove the police force from the gallery and allow the exhibition to open. She added that if officials fail to confirm within 24 hours that they would lift the ban, legal action would be taken to secure Alam’s right to freedom of expression.
Police barricaded the gallery shortly before the exhibition was due to open on Monday, 22 March. The action followed repeated phone calls to Gallery staff, including Alam, and a police presence, pressurizing them to stop the exhibition.
After Alam continued with the opening, inaugurated by celebrated Indian writer and human rights activist Mahasweta Devi, on the streets in front of Drik’s premises, police continued to remain in place, preventing people from entering or leaving. Police officers have been stationed at the gates everyday since then, to stop people from entering the exhibition.
Shah Alam, officer in charge of Dhanmondi Thana, first claimed the gallery did not have permission to hold the exhibition. After Shahidul Alam pointed out that the gallery had been holding exhibitions weekly since 1993 and never before required permission, the OC claimed the exhibition would have to be closed or it would ‘cause anarchy’.
For more news please visit www.shahidulnews.com
