Photographer Shahidul Alam arrested in Bangladesh

Acclaimed Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam, who presented his work Hejara’s Family at La Pietra in November 2015, was arrested on Monday August 6 in Bangladesh while covering the series of mass protests that have paralyzed Dhaka over the last two weeks.

After two speeding buses struck and killed two students on July 29, thousands of students have taken to the street in the capital to demand that authorities improve road safety. According to media reports, including Alam's, protesters were attacked with machetes and sticks by the ruling Awami League and its supporters with the police just standing by.

Alam was prosecuted under section 57 of the Bangladesh Information Communications Technology Act which NGO Human Rights Watch considers to stifle press freedom and political dissent.

For more information, see this article from Time magazine. and read Alam’s interview with Al Jazeera.

Alam visited NYU Florence in November 2015, where he presented his compelling exhibition Hajera’s Family. Read more on the Villa La Pietra website and watch the video below.

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