“I was born in Mirpur, Dhaka, and I have grown up here. When I was 8 or 9 years old, I went to my village home for the very first time. I loved it there. I met my grandparents from … Continue reading
You who are silent You who leave it to others You who do not hear the screams Every bomb that falls Every ‘call for restraint’ Every blood clot etched in the sand Calls out in vain Calls out in pain … Continue reading
Elections are a big thing in Bangladesh. Going back to his village at peak season was an expensive option for my neighourhood fruit seller, Siddique Ali. The election wasn’t so critical in his case, as his candidate was going to … Continue reading
Rahnuma Ahmed After all, one cannot permit the feud between the two parties to destroy the nation. We must dedicate ourselves to higher causes instead. Our bodies and souls must be dedicated to the defense of empire, and to its … Continue reading
Reinhard Siekaczek was half asleep in bed when his doorbell rang here early one morning two years ago. Still in his pajamas, he peeked out his bedroom window, hurried downstairs and flung open the front door. Standing before him in … Continue reading
Rahnuma Ahmed “If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together” – Lisa Watson, aboriginal activist 1971 ‘No, I … Continue reading
Winter, War and Refugee Camps Julian Francis “So, what were you doing in December, 1971?”, asked a colleague the other day. Every year at this time, as well as in the month of March, I remember vividly the birth of … Continue reading
Rahnuma Ahmed He couldn’t wait, he SMS-ed me from Dhaka airport soon after the plane had landed. My media activist friend had returned from the annual South Asia Media Summit 2008, in Goa. ‘These guys are crazy. They were not … Continue reading
It was a moment that had been etched in her mind. In a workshop with Eugene Richards, one of the greatest photojournalists of our time, Dayanita had been asked, as had all the other workshop participants, to “photograph each other … Continue reading
