Page 433 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

430 ART AND CRAFTS

about donating space for the club or moving it to another place and resulted in
detachment and alienation between Dady and other members. As a result gradually the
club lost the involvement of other members.
Tropical Institute of Photography
The first educational institute of this country, devoted to teaching photography,
‘Tropical Institute of Photography’ was established in 1951 with the initiative of
Golam Kashem Dady. Principally, Dady himself was the teacher there. The school
somehow managed to continue its activities within an extremely limited periphery for
approximately two years.
Begart Institute of Photography
M.A. Beg, one of the pioneers of photography in this country and also a
knowledgeable man in this field, set up ‘Begart Institute of Photography’ on 21
December, 1960 with the aim of disseminating photographic technologies, technical
and artistic know-how among the common people. With his able direction this unique
institute played the most important role in teaching photography in this country both
before and after the independence. After beginning its activities primarily at Topkhana
Road the institute moved after a short period first to 63, Northbrook Hall Road and
later after liberation, in 1974, to Science Laboratory Road as ‘Begart Institute.’
3.3 Photographic Studios
A small number of studios existed countrywide from 1947-1971. According to various
sources, no studios existed outside the district and sub-divisional towns of that period.
Only a few studios were located even in Dhaka. However, these studios played an
important role in the diffusion and progress of photography in this country. During the
50s and 60s when photojournalism was progressing in our country, most of the
professionals in the field of photojournalism were also involved in studio-centered
photography. A significant number of photographic studios set up before the partition
continued to function after the partition. Among these ‘Dos and Company’ by
Rajeshwar Das, ‘Dhaka musical Mart’, Makhon Babu’s ‘Orient Studio’ and Mohan
Babu’s studio are mentionable.
During and immediately after the partition of 1947, many Hindu studio owners left the
country. Most of the studio owners of the then East Pakistan were Hindus. As a result,
scores of studios closed down. Numerous new studios were also set up from scratch.
Among these ‘Pakistan Photographic Emporium’, the famous ‘Zayedi’s
Photographers’ of Mozaffar Hussain Zahedi, ‘Aks Photographers’ located in Dhaka
New Market are worth mentioning. M. A. Beg established a studio named ‘Roxy
Photographers’ in 1960. Photographer Kafil Uddin Ahmed set up ‘Kafela
Photographers’ in Dhaka New Market in 1959 and Nurul Azfar Tota Mia set up ‘Vista
Art Studio’. These studios were short-lived. Among such studios outside Dhaka,
Motahar Hossain’s ‘Star Studio’ in Rajshahi, Hasan Abdul Monaem’s ‘View Finder
Studio’ etc. are noteworthy.