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Do you see my world? Rural life of Bangladesh through adolescent eyes.

© Tanvir Murad Topu

Suktara Khatun, 17, takes photographs of child labourers.

Rural life of Bangladesh through adolescent eyes

Dhaka, 18 November, 2009. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF in partnership with the European Union delegation in Bangladesh and Pathshala, South Asian Institute of Photography, launched a photo exhibition on Sunday, the 22nd November in Dhaka. Under the title 'Do you see my world?', this exhibition
is showcasing the works of three groups of adolescents from Jamalpur, Chapainawabganj and Barguna districts of rural Bangladesh.

With UNICEF support, Pathshala gave a five-day photographic training to 30 young people, aged 14 to18, and gave them a digital camera for a week. The aim was to inspire these adolescents to tell their own stories using photography as a tool, and to make a new mode of expression available to them. The result was a striking collection of photographs that express the beauty and tragedy of these adolescents’ everyday lives.

© Tanvir Murad Topu

Farida Khatun, 18, takes photographs of her sister Tajmahal, 22, who is physically disabled.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Dr. Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Secretary, Ministry of Information, Government of Bangladesh.

Other special guests included Dr Stefan Frowein, Ambassador and Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh; Mr Carel De Rooy, Bangladesh Country Representative, UNICEF; and Dr Shahidul Alam, Principal, Pathshala – South Asian Institute of Photography.

A photo book entitled Do you see my world? was also launched at this event.

After the launch in Dhaka the exhibition is schedule to travel to the three districts where the adolescent photographers came from. Please join us in this photographic journey at one of the exhibition sites.

The launch also treamed live from http://www.drik.tv/doyouseemyworld/ and had mobile versions on rickshaw van and bullock cart.

Exhibition details:

Dhaka: Drik Gallery, Dhanmondi, 23-27 November, 3-8pm everyday

Jamalpur: Public library, Bakultola, 6-11 December, 10am-4pm everyday

Chapainwabaganj: Nawabaganj Town Club, 17-22 December, 10am-4pm

Barguna: TNO Office complex, Amtoli, 27 December 2009 - 01 January 2010, 10 am - 4 pm