South Asia Wired - 1 April 2010:
Shahidul Alam is elated – he’s won the battle - if not the war with the authorities. In Bangladesh, that’s no mean feat.
In mid March, the scheduled opening of his exhibition of photographs called Crossfire at Dhaka’s Drik Gallery was closed down by the police. The photos are a quiet evocation of the legacy of the estimated 1000 extra judicial deaths caused by the country’s Rapid Action Battalion since its conception in 2004.
The photos show no sign of violence; they are devoid of blood, death or even a single individual. But the images of silent ghost haunted paddy fields and alleyways – the scenes of some of the killings - were so threatening to the authorities that the police were sent to lock out the public. Shahidul Alam sums up the situation ironically:
“So you’ve got a situation where you can have a government force killing people without legal permission but talking about it suddenly brings about rules of law.”
However the police raid didn’t have exactly the effect that the authorities intended: the exhibition organizers showed the pictures in the street and gained an international audience as the media recorded the growing number of demonstrators who came out to protest.
Shahidul has been running from lawyer’s office to court for days, but made time to join a discussion on South Asia Wired about the place of art in a society where freedom of expression is still out of the grasp of most people.
And in Sri Lanka too, artists, along with journalists and writers know all too well that the watchful eye of the government is always on them, ready to threaten, arrest or assassinate anyone who steps too far over the line of dissent. Jagath Weerasinghe is one of the country’s most prominent artists. Over the years he’s learnt how any work of art stands to be used by the government, adding that “even your most radical art may be used by ultra nationalist schemes”.
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Bilu, a Godmother Guided by her Brother Lt. Col. Rashidul Alom RAB-1 CO
A range of RAB-1 Vehicles equipped with RAB’s staff in uniform are supplied privately without the The GOB’s approval by providing unwarranted advantage by Lt. Col. Rashidul Alom, RAB-1 Director to an influential member of a crime committing syndicate (led by Self-proclaimed Matabars Sheeru, Shalluddin & Momean specializing in Forgery/ Land/Home/ Lake Grabbing , harboring creating criminals, selling drugs, bribery blackmailing, prostitution, vandalizing, extortion, loan-sharking, encouraging building code violation, oppressing, attacking and ruining a renowned family ref: The Daily Ittefaq, 12&13 March 2010) Monir Uddin Ahmed of 212 Ulon Road, West Rampura infamously identified as a compulsive criminal, that he is invigorating these past years incised by Rashid’s sister Bilu-“She considers herself a Godmother of the area” married to Monir. There isn’t any time of crime they haven’t committed and gotten away with owing to the insulation of the Savior. Bilu, a Godmother to the hoodlums of the area, wife to Monir Uddin Ahmed (a compulsive criminal) of 212 Ulon Rd. West Rampura an influential member of a crime committing syndicate. Is insulated by her brother Lt. Col. Rashidul Alom RAB-1 Co providing various unlawful assistance exercising Bilu to tell the street punks not to worry /fret because in such a short time they will be released from police/rab custody so carrying on to whatever wrongdoing you like. A recorded pervert abusing child laborers.. Regularly RAB-1 vehicle accompanied by uniform men is seen to be stationed near her gate resulting in severe traffic jam if anybody objects Bilu evaporate that this is her car belonging to none other than RAB so beware. To make a long story short Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) transportations mostly used by Bilu, along with her mother for doubtful transaction indicting to Drug dealing & smuggled.
Prior to the happenings Major Rashedul ALom came most frequently to Monir’s building with RAB-1 sticker posted on an extensive vehicle loaded with uniformed men in full gear moving around our house with walkie-talkies in hand and getting inside 2121’s building feasting on the 3rd flr. Just for the sake of showdown.. I distinctly remember marauding/myriad of times doubtful activities in momentum when Lt. Col. Rashid came veiling RAB-1 in font as a cover up to bring in/out luggages/briefcases inside 212’s building or putting within the cars of a black Nissan marked RAB-1 Dhaka Metro Gho 02-3303, Dhaka Metro Go 17-8548 and Dhaka Metro GA 174645 . What’s inside the carriers certainly no smelly undergarments? Times of Major’s visitation invigoration swept fashioning the street urchins taking their shirts off and dangling, dancing dauntingly with ear shattering music played on deck in the street while the syndicate members came out marching to the band.
Observably Rashid is harboring presently a criminally attitudinized male specimen that happens to be a relative Babon son of Monir & Bilu a crime committing couple. For days he was unseen till suspiciously Rashid’s car D M GA 174645 shoved him inside. Question is who authorized him for misappropriation of government vehicle for his personal gain? A neutral investigation will reveal an exclusive array of Rashid’s role play
Lt. Col. Rashidul Alom NEEDS to be reprimanded to the extent of a Court Martial. proving nobody is above Law for the vile things he has done so far and is still continuing
Quite an eye opener about how the repressive govenments , who claim to be democratic ,are ever ready to censor any information that seem to expose the nature of unpleasant reality. I was also fascinated to hear how Jaganath and Shaidul have been candid enough about discussing their art and got in touch with one another through Dheera's programme. Congratulations ,Dheera.
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