A seven-day exhibition of photographs depicting Dhaka’s endangered environment and nature by photojournalist Sony Ramani began at the National Art Gallery-1 of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at Segunbagicha in the capital on Saturday.
Speakers at the inaugural ceremony of the exhibition titled Endangered Environment and Nature at the exhibition venue urged for a political decision to preserve the environment.
The exhibition features over 60 photographs and a thought-provoking video installation to portray the city’s air pollution, the death of water bodies, waste mismanagement and destroying city parks.
Economist Anu Muhammad, addressing the inaugural ceremony, said that photography was a political statement that reflected the photographer’s ideology.
‘In the past 10 years, the growth of gross domestic products has become much higher but deforestation and the damage to nature is even higher. We need to question GDP-based development because people cannot live well in an environment where birds cannot survive,’ he said.
Political parties and the interim government do not discuss about protecting the environment and, that is why, numerous initiatives are needed to raise these issues, he said.
New Age editor Nurul Kabir said that photographs were more powerful than words, and Bangladeshi photojournalists had done extraordinary works which needed to be documented.
‘Securing top or second position on the list of most polluted areas is like “becoming the champion in corruption”. The country has failed to make their citizens aware about pollution. On the other hand, citizens should have self-criticism about their responsibility to save the environment,’ said Nurul Kabir.
Protecting the environment is a political issue and the country’s people have to think about it, he said.
Artist-critic and BSA Fine Arts department director Mustafa Zaman said that the photographs presented in the exhibition reflected the country’s water, air and soil pollution.
‘We need to think about development models that can serve the environment and the people,’ he said, added ‘photography is practiced as an art although it has the power of documenting’.
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon joint secretary Humayun Kabir Sumon said that photojournalist Sony Ramani, through the photographs, realistically portrayed the pollution and encroachment in the city.
Photojournalist Sony Ramani who works for New Age said, ‘I wanted to talk about the citizen’s responsibility through the exhibition though we know the sources of the pollution and are aware of the problems. But none wants to take the responsibility.’
He said that his aim in organising the event was to seek meaningful dialogue on sustainable urban development and environmental policies.
Journalist Kamrun Nahar Sumy moderated the ceremony.
A book comprising a collection of his photographs in the same title ‘Endangered Environment and Nature’ was unveiled in the ceremony.
The exhibition will end on April 25.
