Read on Twitter
Sayeeda Khanam, the first female professional photographer of Bangladesh, passed away in Dhaka early Tuesday. She was 83.
Photo: Syed Mahamudur Rahman
Photo: Syed Mahamudur Rahman
Born on Dec 29, 1937 in Pabna, Khanam completed her masters in Bengali literature and Library Science from the Dhaka University. Being inspired to pursue photography from her aunt poet Mahmuda Khatun Siddique, she started photography at the age of only 13.
Photo: @shahidul
Photo: @shahidul
In 1956, she started her career as a photojournalist in Begum, the only newspaper dedicated to women at that time. Her photographs were published in many national and international newspapers including the Observer, Morning News, and Ittefaq.
She also captured many important events of the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. She covered many national and international events. She worked as a photographer with renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray in three of his films.
Sayeda's first snapshot of Satyajit Ray at his home in Kolkata, 1962. Photo: Sayeeda Khanam
Khanam worked as a librarian in seminar library of Bengali Literature Department of the Dhaka University from 1974 to 1986.
After the war, she volunteered as a nurse in Holy Family Hospital for a while.
After the war, she volunteered as a nurse in Holy Family Hospital for a while.
Khanam had her first international exhibition in 1956 after participating in the International Photo and Cinema Exhibition, Cologne.
Photo Caption: A woman takes combat training during Liberation War. Dhaka, Bangladesh. 1971. (Photographer: Sayeeda Khanam)
Photo Caption: A woman takes combat training during Liberation War. Dhaka, Bangladesh. 1971. (Photographer: Sayeeda Khanam)
In the same year, her works were displayed in an international photography exhibition held in Dhaka and later exhibited in international competitions in Japan, France, Sweden, Pakistan, and Cyprus.
In 1960, she received an award in All Pakistan Photo Contest and in 1985 she was honored with Unesco Award for photography. She received many other awards from several national & international organizations and was a lifetime member of Bangladesh Mahila Samity and Bangla Academy.
Photo 1: Students of Azimpur Girls School salute Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman after Liberation. Dhaka, Bangladesh. 1972.
Photo 2:A group of women take combat training before Liberation War in Azimpur field. Dhaka, Bangladesh. 1971.
(Photographer: Sayeeda Khanam)
Photo 2:A group of women take combat training before Liberation War in Azimpur field. Dhaka, Bangladesh. 1971.
(Photographer: Sayeeda Khanam)
Photo 1: Capturing the celebration of freedom on December 16, 1971.
Photo 2: Child victims of the Liberation War, wounded in grenade explosion. Holy Family Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 1971.
(Photos: Sayeeda Khanam)
Photo 2: Child victims of the Liberation War, wounded in grenade explosion. Holy Family Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 1971.
(Photos: Sayeeda Khanam)
She also covered an event when Queen Elizabeth II visited Bangladesh, the then East Pakistan, for the first time. "I was the only (Bengali) woman in a simple blue sari with a camera in hand, amongst the hundred other fellow male journalists," said Sayeeda Khanam in an interview.
Her profession brought her close to many dignitaries. Some of them inspired her to move forward, braving all negative social barriers. One such person was the illustrated writer and film-maker Satyajit Ray.
While working as the correspondent of the film magazine Chitrali in the 1960s, she showed interest in interviewing Ray. But Parvez Saheb (Muhammad Parvez, the then editor of Chitrali) did not show any interest.
Not only her editor, everyone she knew in the cine-world, discouraged her, as Ray was known to be a very reserved person. Yet she went forward and called him, requesting an interview. He immediately agreed.
Surprisingly, Sayeeda not only got an exclusive interview from Ray but also became his family friend. Ray had encouraged her by remarking that very few women of the country chose the profession that Sayeda embarked upon.
For thirty years, Sayeeda had captured the life and work of this talented man through her lens. After Ray's death, Sayeda's photography exhibition on Ray, held in India and Bangladesh, received many accolades.
She also photographed Kazi Nazrul Islam. “When I met poet Kazi Islam, he had already lost his speaking ability. I found him tearing pages while his wife did household chores. I photographed him in his last days with his wife Pramila Devi by his side.” she said in an interview.
Her pictures need to be preserved and showcased for the up and coming photographers and history enthusiasts. This could be a way of saying thanks to this brave, incredible woman who never learnt to back down. Rest in Peace Sayeeda Khanam!
