Eminent Bangladeshi photographer Nasir Ali Mamun is set to hold his 66th solo photography exhibition at Bangla Academy’s Burdwan House this year, marking a return to the venue where he staged his first exhibition more than five decades ago.
Confirming the development to The TIMES of Bangladesh, Mamun said the exhibition will open on February 17 and remain on view until Pohela Boishakh on April 14.
Mamun said the new year would begin on a joyful note, as he is returning to Bangla Academy with a solo exhibition after 25 years. He recalled that his maiden exhibition was held at the same venue on February 16, 1977, followed by four more exhibitions there.
The exhibition will be presented in two sections. The upper floor of Burdwan House will display Mamun’s photographs of renowned late literary figures, including Palli Kabi Jasimuddin, Kazi Motaher Hossain, Sufia Kamal, Shamsur Rahman, Al Mahmud and Akhtaruzzaman Elias.
The lower floor will feature a special exhibition dedicated to National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, showcasing rare photographs taken by Mamun, alongside images by other photographers with due credit.
Mamun said he photographed Nazrul’s ancestral home in Churulia and its surrounding sites during a visit in 1987 and captured images when the ailing poet visited Bangladesh in 1972.
He also revealed plans for a multimedia segment, featuring a documentary compiled from rare video footage of late literary figures. Mamun expressed hope that the exhibition, scheduled ahead of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, would attract a large audience.
Preparations for the exhibition are currently under way and are being finalised by Bangla Academy. Mamun expressed gratitude to Bangla Academy Director General Professor Dr Mohammad Azam for making the exhibition possible.
Widely known as Camerar Kobi (The Poet with the Camera), Nasir Ali Mamun is regarded as a living legend of Bangladeshi photography. He received the Ekushey Padak this year for his outstanding contribution to the field.
