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The existence of an organization ‘Bangladesh Photographers Welfare Association’
is known to have been founded in 1990 to do away with the discrimination in the
workplace of photographers working in various government and semi-
government organizations.
4.0 Photographers of Post-Independence Bangladesh
Since the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 the socio-economic, political, cultural,
educational and technical aspects of photography have gradually been transformed.
This process of transformation is distinctive in terms of chronology, theme and
genre, besides which various individual characteristics of various photographers also
became stronger.
4.1 Pioneering Photographers
The pioneering photographers whose hard work and dedication led to the gradual
growth of photography during the decade of the fifties and sixties, further enriched the
milieu of Bangladesh photography with their multi-faceted activities after 1971.
Senior photographer Azmal Haq was the official photographer of the Dhaka
University from 1962 to 1985. The main subject of his photographs is the landscape
of Bangladesh. Dr. Ansar Uddin Ahmed (1931- ), APBS, was a researcher and
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doctor of ICDDRB. He also did photography for the research activities of the
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organization. Kafil Uddin Ahmed (1929-2001) founded a studio called ‘Kafela
Photographer’ in the New Market in Dhaka in 1961. He worked as a photographer in
the Design Center headed by Quamrul Hassan for some time. From 1997 onwards in
his long residence abroad he was associated with photography in many countries of
Europe including Germany. Amateur photographer Syed Anisul Hossain (1937- ) was
involved with BPS, CRC and the photography movement in various ways. Bijon
Sarker (1935- ), Hon.FBPS is one of the pioneers and organizers of the movement
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of photography in Bangladesh. He was founding member of Camera Recreation Club
and Bangladesh Photographic Society. For most of his working life he worked as
photographer of the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation. In 1977 he won first prize (fig.
10.16) in the photographic competition organized by ‘ACCU.’ Golam Mustafa
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(1941- ), Hon. FBPS worked at Bangladesh Television for most of his working life
(1964-1996). He was founding member of CRC and BPS as well as being involved
in many ways with the photographic movement. Mrinal Sarker (1928-2000) was one
of the greatest organizers and cultural activists of Bangladesh. He was the founding
president of CPS, BFP and Creative Photographers. In his professional life he was the
photographer of the Chittagong Forest Research Institute. Sudutta Sebak Barua
(1936-1997) won many awards for his photographs as well as being member of the
jury panel for the 6th, 7th and 11th photographic competition arranged by ACCU. He
was the first person from this country to become member of PSA. Sujit Kumar Ray
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(1943-1990) was photographer in the inter-forces public relations office. He worked
as the photographer of the Defense Ministry of the Mujibnagar Government. Azizur
Rahman (1940-1977) was a photojournalist in his professional life as well as being
involved with artistic photography. In the first Asian photography competition held