World Famous Photographer Shahidul Alam Is Granted Bail

After over 100 days in jail accused of spreading "purposeful publicity and false data", the esteemed Bangladeshi picture taker has at last been allowed safeguard.

Shahidul Alam is Granted Bail

Grant winning picture taker Shahidul Alam has put in more than 100 days in prison, yet – as indicated by Reuters and a few Bangladeshi daily papers – has at long last been allowed safeguard by the High Court early today. "We're charmed that at last the court has conceded him safeguard," said his legal counselor Sarah Hossain in the Reuters' report, adding she anticipated that her customer would be out soon.

Shahidul Alam is granted Bail

The 63-year-old picture taker and extremist was captured at his home in Dhaka on 05 August, and was accused the following day of damaging Section 57 of Bangladesh's Information and Communication Technology Act (ICT), in the wake of giving a meeting to Al Jazeera on the current influx of understudy challenges dangerous streets. In the meeting, he expressed that these activities originated from indignation about boundless government debasement, and the energizes mean he faces to 14 years in jail.

Shahidul Alam Father of Democracy

As per Amnesty International, which has taken up the picture taker's predicament, Section 57 is a "draconian law" that has been utilized against well more than 1000 individuals since it was presented in 2006. "Police needn't bother with capture warrants or authority authorization to arraign," clarifies the association. "Those denounced are for the most part denied safeguard pending their preliminary and kept bolted up for a considerable length of time with no official decision. Shahidul himself was denied abandon 10 September 2018. Those captured are frequently columnists who've distributed articles scrutinizing the legislature."

#Free_Shahidul

Acquittal depicts Alam's capture as "a gross human rights misuse" – however includes that it is additionally worried for the picture taker's wellbeing. "He was not able stroll without anyone else when he showed up in court in August, and he told companions that he had been thumped by the specialists," the human rights association clarifies.

Shahidul Alam is Granted Bail

Alam’s photographs have been published in almost every major media outlet over a more than four-decade career, and his book, My Journey as a Witness, was described as “the most important book ever written by a photographer” by John Morris, the former picture editor of Life magazine. His recent exhibition Crossfire, which was held at Drik Picture Library, was widely acclaimed but closed down by Bangladeshi police, leading to nationwide protests. Alam is a leading critic of the Bangladeshi government, its police and the role its army plays in political life.

Alam is the founder and managing director of Drik Picture Library; he is also the creator of the renowned Pathshala South Asian Media Academy, a photography school in Dhaka that has trained hundreds of photographers, from Bangladesh. In addition he is director of Chobi Mela, a photography festival in Asia, and has served on the jury of numerous competitions, including World Press Photo, which he has helped judge four times, and for which he was the first Asian chair.