Nepal – Resilience and Reasons by Abir Abdullah 

 

“Photography has been a tool to discover stories from people and share it to the world. It is a job with humanity and responsibility.” – Abir Abdullah / EPA Photojournalist
That time is late afternoon, a beautiful light ray fall on the destruction old building in Nepal ! What’s going on here ? Why photojournalist taking pictures in this ruins building ? Where it’s people ? Yes, the answer is still one; An Earthquake ! It registered 7.8 on the richter scale. Recently the whole world becomes speechless to see the destruction of human loss and historical property in Nepal. A 55 seconds quake killed more than 8,0000 people injured ore than 18,000 in different parts of Nepal.
Number of international media was there to cover this horrified destruction of human lives and property. A Bangladeshi noted photojournalist Abir Abdullah one of them to cover it and his bring back to made a solo photography exhibition title “Nepal-Resilience and Reasons held this week ( 5-11 June 2015 ) at Gallery Chitrak in the capital of Dhaka, Bangladesh. About his exhibition Abir said, The quake was felt as far as some places in India and Bangladesh, is important to aware our people to prepare for such calamities in a country like Bangladesh where building are built without confirming to the building codes, erecting unplanned structure and what not. At the same I would like to show solidarity of Bangladeshi people with towards the beautiful people and the country of Nepal.
Abir arrived in Nepal on the second day of the quake to cover the devastation. He witnessed the fear and tear of the people who lost their loved ones,families and neighbors. He travelled major affected areas documenting the catastrophe of nature and the struggle of the surviving people. His eyes and his camera recorded once again how defenseless we humans an against the forces of nature. This documentary evidence shown the resilience of this friendly people of Nepal started rebuilding their lives again.
Biography

Abir Abdullah is an epa photographer based in Bangladesh.

Abir Abdullah was born in 1971. Started photography career in 1996 at Drik Picture Library, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is currently working for the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) as Bangladesh correspondent.

Photographs published in Blink, Time, Newsweek, Der Speigel, New Internationalist, Guardian, International Herald Tribune, Asiaweek, Elmundo, Stern, Geo etc.

Abir’s sensitive work on environmental issues is especially notable. His numerous awards include Mother Jones, NPPA, Days Japan, and Islamic Unity-Iran.

He completed the three year seminar ‘Pleasure of Life’ assigned and supported by World Press Photo Foundation Netherlands. His photographs have been exhibited in Europe, South America, Asia and the U.S. His work has been published in the World Press Photo book New Stories and Phaidon Press’ Blink.

Abir Abdullah also jury in China International Press Photo Contest in China in 2008. World Press Photo Contest in Amsterdam in 2011. His web site http://www.abirphoto.com

Exhibition Review by Monirul Alam

Work in  Progress Project . . . 

That day was a very hot summer, recently heat wave sweeping enter the country of Bangladesh. I was their to coverage on assignment Human Chain and Rally against ‘Human Trafficking’ it organized by the Socialist Labour Forum in Bangladesh. I saw a number of activists and leaders was present their some activist holding poster, (  poster shown trafficking victims images and written their demand ) they use also banner and some activists distribute their leaflets to the commuters and media persons. They started there programs leader’s  addressing their space with their demand very positively and logically to the  attention of the government of Bangladesh.

I saw and catch my interest one pregnant women holding a poster; She sweating due to the hot summer, her name is Hamida, I shortly talked with her and pointing my question. She said, she came here with his leader  and  stand here, we demand that the government identify the human trafficking gangs immediately and ensure the harsh punishment for them through trail to stop the evil crimes. I talked to other activists they  said the same demand, government should takes necessary step to bring back those victims to their homeland. Finally the rally started from national press club Dhaka to Dainik Bangla square Dhaka, Bangladesh on 04 June, 2015.

Accourding to the recent media follow up reports to the  ‘Human Trafficaking  Issue’ catch the international leaders attention and takes such innatiative to solved these problem safe huminity. Poverty, unemployment, and inability to support the families are the causes drives them to Migration to South-East Asian countries of Thailand,Malaysia and Indonesia of poor Bangladeshi people said Selim Uddin, a migrant from Chuadanga,now he jail in Thailand according to the media report. Hundreds of mass graves and detention camps of human trafficking victims in these countries have revealed the unprecedented brutality of this form of modern day slavery. A report by the Daily Prothom Alo newspaper claims that people from 15 district of Bangladesh have been detained in Thailand detention camp. Rogigay Muslim from Myanmar are also major victims of human trafficking. However, there is a big difference between the Rohingya’s and the Bangladesh. Due to continuous communal violence Rohingya Muslims were almost annihilated by the Buddhists and government forces,and expelled from their country.  

According to the UN, 25,000 people from Myanmar and Bangladesh left their country by sea within the first three months of the year 2015, among whose 3000 died. However far from addressing these issue,the Bangladeshi government has been denying the fact that it’s people are leaving country due to economic depression. In the face of international pressure, some countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines have agreed to give temporary shelter to migrants drifting and starving in the middle of the ocean. However, no visible steps from Bangladesh government yet to bring those victims back to their homeland. 

Notes: Source: UN, Prothom Alo, Daily Star Newspaper reports recent reports.

   

Shooter Diaries 03 June 2015

A passenger bus has overturned while racing another on traffic free road in the central Dhaka, Bus helper spot dead several other injured. when a bus fell on its side while racing against another one on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue opposite the CA Bhaban at Karwanbazar in the city on 03 June, 2015. 

Police and witnesses said two Gabtali-bound buses of the Jatrabari-Gabtali route-8 of the city service were racing against each other for getting passengers as the road was relatively traffic-free on the public holiday.