Diplomatic Desk:
A lively episode of Photo Adda was held at the Auditorium Nouvelle Vogue of Alliance Française de Dhaka on Friday (26 June 2026). Organized by the Alliance of Photographers (AOP), the event brought together photography enthusiasts, professional photographers and budding practitioners to participate in an insightful discussion on visual storytelling and contemporary photojournalism.
The event was moderated by renowned photographer and teacher Abir Abdullah. The guest speaker was renowned photojournalist Munir Uz Zaman.
With over two decades of experience in photojournalism, Munir Uz Zaman shared his experience of capturing important political, social, cultural and sporting events in South Asia. He recounted his professional journey, which began at the bdnews photo agency. He later joined Driknews and then the international news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), making significant contributions to international news coverage.
In the discussion, he shared his experiences covering the war in Afghanistan, the death of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Pope Francis’ visit to Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka’s national elections, and various international sporting events. He also shed light on the responsibilities and challenges of photojournalism, and the power of photography to preserve history and shape public opinion.
Participants had the opportunity to learn about his internationally acclaimed photographs, including those featured in TIME magazine’s Top 100 Photos of 2021. He also highlighted his international recognition, including the Human Rights Press Award from the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Hong Kong and Amnesty International in 2012 for his photography of the Rohingya crisis, and the first prize at PhotoWeek Washington, D.C. in 2013 for his photography of the Rana Plaza collapse.
The event concluded with a lively Q&A and discussion between the guest speakers and the audience, creating an opportunity for meaningful discussion about photography, the art of storytelling, and the changing role of visual journalism in contemporary society.
Expressing his feelings about the event, Munir Uz Zaman said, “I felt truly honored to share my journey and experiences with Abir Abdullah in the ‘Photo Adda’. I am grateful for this opportunity to exchange views with photographers of both the old and new generations. I believe this Adda served as a meaningful bridge between the experienced and the new generation. Such discussions are very important to inspire young photographers and make our photography community stronger.”
