The Dhaka University Photographic Society (DUPS) will host a photo festival that transcends international boundaries for the first time.
The aptly titled "Dhaka International Foto Fest 2019" will be a four-day-long exhibition starting this Sunday (January 27) and end on January 30. It is sponsored by Bangladesh Tourism Board and has the Dhaka Tribune as a media partner.
Organizers said as photography is a very popular medium among the youth, the Dhaka University Photographic Society is always doing something new. They arrange national photography festivals every year to contribute to the growing photography culture in .
The ceremony will be inaugurated with a colourful procession at 9am from TSC, led by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman.
At 11am, awards will be presented at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Deputy Minister of Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel will preside over the session as chief guest. Professor Sadeka Halim, dean of Social Science Faculty and prominent photographer Nasir Al Mamun will attend the event as special guests.
On January 30, Manzoor Alam Beg, a pioneer of photography in Bangladesh will be awarded with a posthumous "Lifetime Achievement" award on behalf of the DUPS. His son Imtiaz Alam Beg will accept the award on his behalf.
The exhibition will remain open from 11am to 8pm every day. From the second day onwards, there will be various sessions to meet the judges, talk to artists, portfolio reviews, documentary film screenings, and box camera photography will be arranged.
The photographs will be displayed at TSC and the Fine Arts Faculty building and galleries 5 and 6 of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
There will be two categories in the festival, single category and portfolio category. A total of 145 single photographs by Bangladeshi photographers and 67 countries will be presented in 16 series.
In addition, selected photographs from the 12th Annual Photography Exhibition by the Dhaka University Photographic Society will also be exhibited. It will include 111 photographs out of 6,537 photos in single category, 16 photo series out of 97 photo stories in portfolio category from photographers around the globe, and 34 photographs by DUPS members will be selected. The panel of Judges will include photographer Abir Abdullah, Pathsahala South Asian Media Institute Principal Saiful Huq omi, Counter Foto principal and photographer Taslima Akhter.
