A freelance photographer yesterday caused uproar in the burn and plastic surgery institute of Dhaka Medical College Hospital as he, literally, attempted to direct a photoshoot of victims of recent arson attacks, and that too without their permission.
Saiful Huq Omi, a freelance photojournalist, entered the high dependency unit (HDU) of DMCH’s burn unit around 1pm, when relatives were just preparing to feed the victims their lunch. He entered the ward which hosted the most sensitive victims undergoing treatment, especially those with inhalation injury.
At that time, there was no doctor present at the ward.
Without much regard to the surroundings, Omi reportedly asked his assistant to hold backdrop and light sets, without even seeking permission of the victims. Furthermore, he asked the patients, most of whom were in critical condition, to stand on the floor in front of the backdrop by putting up their hands together.
These patients were under doctors’ orders to be under full bed rest.
Such insensitive behaviour caused some other photojournalists, who were present there, to protest against him. They called the hospital staff and asked Omi to leave the ward.
Burn victim Md Khokon, 30, a service holder, is currently undergoing treatment at the HDU with 20% burn injury and was asked to pose for Omi’s photoshoot.
He told the Dhaka Tribune: “What would I do? You journalists come and ask us to perform such acts and we are just cooperating with you people. But it is your humanity to understand our problems.”
Omi, however, appeared remorseless when accused of and asked about his “photography” which caused inconvenience to the patients.
Photojournalists who were present at the scene quoted Omi as saying that he would not create any problem to the victims. He was just doing his professional activities and had not created any problem, he said.
