Page 432 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

PHOTOGRAPHY 429

Pakistan photography contest in 1960. She is also the first woman photojournalist of
Bangladesh. She started photojournalism by taking a photograph of Queen Elizabeth
in 1961, who was then visiting Bangladesh. Sayeeda Khanum was involved with
Begum for a long time.
3.2 Photography Organizations and Institutes
After partition, several Dhaka-centered photography oriented institutes were
established in Bangladesh (the then East Pakistan). These institutes played an
important role in advancing photography in this area.
East Pakistan Photographic Society
After the inception of Pakistan in 1947, a central photography club named Pakistan
Photographic Society was set up in West Pakistan. The East Pakistan branch of this
club was set up in the secretariat in Dhaka, in the room of the then provincial Health
Minister Habibullah Bahar Chowdhury. Others who played a leading role are Nawab
G.A. Faruki, KG.M Faruki, Himangshu Dutt, E.M. Patel, Azmal Haq, Amanul Haq and
others. This club did not partake in any mentionable activity and did not continue for
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long.
East Pakistan Photographers’Association
During the middle of the 1950s ‘East Pakistan Photographers’Association’ was set up
mainly by the initiative of students of different colleges and universities of that time.
Eminent physician Dr Mohammad Ibrahim and Golam Kashem Dady played the role
of president and vice president of this club respectively. Among other members Shuja
Haidar (a student of the then Art College), Moudud Ahmed (a politician at present),
Mahbub-uz-Zaman, Chowdhury Lutfar Rahman, Rahim Newaz, photojournalist
Mosharraf Hossain (Lal Bhai) and others are mentionable.
Camera Recreation Club
‘Camera Recreation Club’ was set up in 1962 with the combined effort of several
photographers and photography enthusiasts. This club was born in a meeting of
photographers, with the purpose of setting up a photographic club, in the house of
senior photographer Golam Kashem Dady (1894-1998) on 12 August 1962. E.M.
Patel, an employee of the then Burmah Shell and Golam Kashem Dady were
nominated the president and general secretary respectively, of this club. Among other
initiators-cum-members were M.A. Beg, Golam Mustafa, Haji Abu Taleb, Bijon
Sarker, Mahbub Hossain, Sajeda Khanam, Aminul Islam and others. After two years
of its establishment its chairman E.M. Patel died and M.A. Beg conducted affairs as
chairman for several years. Golam Kashem Dady remains memorable because of the
way he patronized and directed the club since the moment of its inception until the day
of his death. In the 60s contests, exhibitions, photography-related discussions and
outings inspired the club’s photography enthusiasts. In 1964, the first book related to
photography, edited by Dady, was published under the title Camera from this club.
However, from approximately around the middle of the 1960s, complexities arose