Page 457 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

454 ART AND CRAFTS

photography as well. She won the bronze medal
(fig. 10.34) in the 3rd International
Commonwealth Photography competition. After
her death a solo photography exhibition of her
work was held at the German Cultural Institute
in 1992. However, all things considered,
Sayeeda Khanum is the most brilliantly different
and dedicated practitioner of photography
among the women of Bangladesh.
Sayeeda Khanum (1937- ), Hon. FBPS
Sayeeda Khanum is the pioneer among the
women photographers of this country. In the
forties ‘when the women of our society could not
venture out of the household, this artist at that
and fig. 10.31b (top) time had taken photographs for years on end with her camera on her shoulder,
from War Veterans of wandered from city to port and village and even outside the country.’ She has
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Bangladesh series, photographed various subjects (fig 10.33). She has documented the various activities
winner of the famed and expressions of the famous film director the late Satyajit Ray by intimately
Mother Jones
International associating with his family from 1966. She has a book entitled Amar Chokhey Satyajit
Photography Prize, Ray with a compilation of these photographs. Moreover, she has photographed many
photograph Abeer eminent personalities including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Kazi Nazrul
Abdullah, Islam, and Mother Teresa. This accomplished artist won many awards and recognitions
© Abeer Abdullah at home and abroad including first prize in the ‘All Pakistan Photo Contest’ of 1960.
fig. 10.32 (bottom) 5.2 Training and Organization
Sayeeda Khanum In August 1986 the first institutional photography training workshop for women was
organized by ‘Dhaka University Alokchitra Academy.’ 100 At the initiative of the
president of the Academy and trainer Sheikh Yaar Ahmed Pearu, the first women’s
photography competition and exhibition was held at the Shilpakala Academy gallery
comprising of the photographs of those who had participated in the advanced course
after completing the basic one. Ismat Jahan came first in this competition. In 1992 a
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group of women photographers named ‘Anya Chokhey Dekha’ was formed.
‘Anya Chokhey Dekha’
At the initiative of Dr. Shahidul Alam in 1992 ‘Autograph’ of Britain and ‘Drik’ of
Bangladesh jointly organized a workshop under the supervision of the British woman
photographer Poulomi Desai. At the end of the workshop a group was formed with the
eleven participants including Nargis Jahan Banu and Nurjahan Chaklader. The
primary goal of this workshop was communicating the importance of photography
among women and inspiring them to participate in this field. They have already
exhibited a number of times in the country and twice in the UK.