Photo Kathmandu has honored Shahidul Alam with Photo Kathmandu 2018 Award of Excellence for his instrumental contributions towards the development of Nepali photography and journalism.
Shahidul Alam is a pioneering Bangladeshi photographer, writer, curator, educator and activist. He is the founder of Drik Picture Library, Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, Chobi Mela International Festival of Photography and Majority World, all groundbreaking Bangladeshi institutions, according to a press statement issued by Photo Kathmandu.
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It added that Alam was detained by Bangladesh police on August 5, 2018 and was charged under Section 57 of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Act. The allegations were that Shahidul, through a Facebook live video “disseminated false, confusing and provocative statements that caused deterioration in the law and order situation of the state, hurt the image of the state and hurt the sentiment of young students that instigated them to create social instability and engage in destructive activities.”
As of today, Shahidul Alam has been in jail for 82 days. His last bail petition was deferred again and the next hearing was scheduled for Sunday. The decision to confer this year’s Photo Kathmandu Award of Excellence to Shahidul Alam was unanimously reached by the Photo Kathmandu 2018 Awards Committee that included Bikas Rauniar (Senior Nepali photojournalist), Bikas Karki, (President of Photojournalists Club Nepal and Photo Editor of Annapurna Post) and Sagar Shrestha (President of National Forum of Photojournalists).
Photo Kathmandu is an international photography festival organized by photo circle. The festival presents exhibitions, workshops, an artist residency and a diverse range of public programming to Kathmandu audiences and international visitors every two years.
Through its core and collateral programming, Photo Kathmandu creates in-depth engagement with local audiences and special interest groups on themes and topics of socio-political relevance.
