A report on Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, published by the online news portal bdnews24.com, has come to our attention (?Shahidul Alam?s Pathshala operates without affiliation,? bdnews24.com, 6 August 2016). Unsubstantiated allegations, backbiting and innuendo and the absence of cross checking characterise the ?report.? It is a shoddy piece of journalism. Continue reading “PATHSHALA?S RESPONSE TO BDNEWS24.COM?S REPORT”
Category: media
Postdoctor in Photography, Photography and Human Rights
University of Gothenburg
Type of employment: Fixed-term employment, 2 years
Extent: 100 %
Location: Valand Academy, Gothenburg
First day of employment: 2016/9/1
Reference number: PER 2016/54
Valand Academy at the University of Gothenburg and the Hasselblad Foundation have a long-term partnership developing critical reflection on photography and its mediation. As part of this partnership, the Hasselblad Foundation is launching a research project on photography and human rights in Autumn 2016, and photo-based artists holding a PhD can apply to a two-year Post-Doctoral position at Valand Academy starting September 2016. The number of positions available is one.
Continue reading “Postdoctor in Photography, Photography and Human Rights”
The Ruin of Indonesian Society
Indonesia: 50 Years After the Coup and the CIA Sponsored Terrorist Massacre. The Ruin of Indonesian Society
Last year, I stopped travelling to Indonesia. I simply did? I just could not bear being there, anymore. It was making me unwell. I felt psychologically and physically sick.
Indonesia has matured into perhaps the most corrupt country on Earth, and possibly into the most indoctrinated and compassionless place anywhere under the sun. Here, even the victims were not aware of their own conditions anymore. The victims felt shame, while the mass murderers were proudly bragging about all those horrendous killings and rapes they had committed. Genocidal cadres are all over the government. Continue reading “The Ruin of Indonesian Society”
Protecting Freedom of Expression in Bangladesh
Following
is the English translation of the statement made by academics, writers, women?s rights, human rights and cultural activists, including freedom fighters, on December 18, 2014 regarding the conviction and sentencing of British journalist David Bergman by the International Crimes Tribunal-2, in Dhaka. The statement was published in Prothom Alo, the largest Bangla daily, the next day. One of the statement makers, Khushi Kabir, withdrew her name from the statement the following day.
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On January 14, 2015, the Tribunal served notice on the 49 statement makers asking them to explain their statement: ?Prima facie it appears that the core content of the ‘statement’ questions ‘transparency and openness’ of the judicial proceedings before the tribunal and also justification of the order sentencing a journalist [Bergman] for the act of scandalising the tribunal constituting the offence of contempt.?
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Over the next two months, 26 statement makers tendered in writing their ?unconditional apology? before the Tribunal. These were accepted as they ?upgraded the majesty of the Tribunal? (Order No 11, dated 18.03.2015), and the 26 were exonerated from further proceedings.
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The remaining 23, who had expressed their ?regret? for any inadvertent impression the Tribunal may have received about it?s ?authority and institutional dignity? having been belittled, have failed to satisfy the Tribunal as their explanation lacks ?true remorse and repentance.? And, in the eyes of the Tribunal, they have, on the contrary, sought to ?defend? their statement by citing the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh.
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The Tribunal has now decided (Order No. 12, dated 1.04.2015) to initiate contempt proceedings against Masud Khan (consultant), Afsan Chowdhury (liberation war researcher, university teacher), Ziaur Rahman (lawyer), Hana Shams Ahmed (writer, rights activist), professor Anu Muhammad (university teacher), Anusheh Anadil (singer, rights activist), Muktasree Chakma Sathi (rights activist), Lubna Marium (cultural activist, freedom fighter), Farida Akhter (women?s rights activist), Shireen Huq (women?s rights activist), Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury (public health activist, freedom fighter), Ali Ahmed Ziauddin (freedom fighter), Rahnuma Ahmed (writer), Dr. Shahidul Alam (photographer), Dr. C. R. Abrar (university teacher), Dr. Bina D’ Costa (peace and conflict analyst), Mahmud Rahman (writer), Dr. Zarina Nahar Kabir (university teacher), Leesa Gazi (cultural activist), Shabnam Nadiya (writer), Nasrin Siraj Annie (anthropologist and film-maker, Tibra Ali (physicist), and Dr. Delwar Hussain (anthropologist).
If found guilty they face a fine or imprisonment of up to 1 year. Continue reading “Protecting Freedom of Expression in Bangladesh”
Faculty recruitment at Pathshala March 2015
Vacancy Announcement
Pathshala South Asian Media Institute invites applications for the post of Contractual (Part Time) Teachers (Job Title: Faculty member) to teach the short courses and workshops the institution offers (Basic Photography Course, Foundation Course, Digital Photography, Teen Photography etc.) under the supervision of Head of Photography/Academic Council/Faculty Moderator. The Faculty Member/s will be responsible for planning, organising and implementing an appropriate educational programme at Pathshala in a learning environment that guides and encourages students to develop and fulfill their academic potential along with delivering an innovative and inspirational educational module that will positively impact the students? learning. Teachers need to be competent in teaching photography techniques including camera exposures, digital photography and composition as well as the appropriate use of light and lens. Other responsibilities include establishing, developing and implementing the curriculum and course materials for each semester. Contributing to the development and co-ordination of a particular area of the curriculum; providing a variety of learning materials, designing projects, organising group sessions and other activities to enhance the learning experience; maintaining discipline in accordance with the rules of the institute; performing certain duties including student support, counseling students with academic problems and providing student encouragement by treating all students fairly within a professional relationship. The faculty member should also ensure that there is total confidentiality of all material used in the Pathshala courses and that there are no situations leading to a conflict of interest with competing institutions without prior managment approval. Preparing reports on one?s own activities with results against targets and suggestions will need to be presented in faculty meetings.
S/he should be holding a minimum graduate or higher degree with good spoken and written Bangla and English and have at least 2 years of working experiences in a related field along with teaching experience on relevant subjects or work experience as a professional. Knowledge of relevant technology is assumed. Job location is in Dhaka and salary is negotiable with other benefits as per organisational policy.
Interested candidate should apply with a CV and a recent photograph to recruitment@drik.net or hr@pathshala.netby March 24, 2015.
Or
Send at this address by ?mentioning the post? on the envelope:
To
Head of Human Resource Department
Pathshala South Asian Media Institute
16, Sukrabad, Panthapath, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.
www.pathshala.net
Job Offer at Pathshala
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Vacancy Announcement
Pathshala South Asian Media Institute invites applications for the post of Head of Photography for the Photography Department who will be responsible for the overall strategy of the department under the supervision of the Principal. His/her responsibilities include assisting the principal in providing the overall leadership of Pathshala; setting goals for the Photography Department together with the principal, manage and lead the Photography Department in order to achieve these goals for the department and for Pathshala as a whole; developing curriculum for the Photography department of Pathshala South Asian Media Institute; guiding the team in the development and implementation of short and long-term courses, schedules and programme plans; evaluating performance and the effectiveness of training programmes, providing recommendations for improvement and developing testing evaluation procedures; representing the Photography department of Pathshala when and where necessary; keeping liaison with universities, funding & donor agencies, media institutes and other media organisations; taking classes as a regular faculty member; seeking out interesting ideas and innovations through information, knowledge management; promoting regional and international collaboration, team building and learning and bearing overall responsibility for designing short & long course and training programmes after consulting with the academic council. ? At the minimum, s/he should have a graduate degree with good spoken and written Bangla and English skills having at least 5 years of working experiences in a related field. Sound ability to deal with programme and project development would also be expected. Job location is in Dhaka and salary is negotiable with other benefits as per organisational policy. Interested candidate should apply with a CV and a recent photograph to recruitment@drik.net ?or hr@pathshala.net by March 24, 2015. Or Send at this address by ?mentioning the post? on the envelope: To Head of Human Resource Department Pathshala South Asian Media Institute 16, Sukrabad, Panthapath, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh. www.pathshala.net
Pathshala is an equal opportunities employer.
Chasing Windmills
AZIZUR RAHIM PEU, born 10th June 1964, died 14 October 2014
“If you let me go, I’ll kill myself.” I’d never given a job to anyone before. So this response to my suggestion that there was a better future for him elsewhere, was something I wasn’t prepared for. I had returned to Bangladesh after having been away for twelve years. Not having the capital myself, I had set up a photographic studio in partnership with a businessman cum photographer Khan Mohammad Ameer and his businessmen brothers. The studio ‘Fotoworld’ was posh, and we photographed the glitterati. We also took pictures of factories, the odd milk powder tin, food, cigarette cartons and pretty much anything people would pay us (and sometimes not pay us) to shoot. Azizur Rahim Peu was my first recruit. I’d come to know him through the Bangladesh Photographic Society, where I was the general secretary and had taken an immediate liking to the young man. Continue reading “Chasing Windmills”
Mandela?s First Memo to Thomas Friedman
Arjan El Fassed
The Electronic Intifada
29 March 2001
Editor?s note, 28 June 2013: This article was written by Arjan El Fassed in 2001 in the satirical style then being employed by Thomas Friedman, of writing mock letters from one world leader to another. Although it carries El Fassed?s byline, it has been repeatedly mistaken for an actual letter from Mandela. It is not. It is a piece of satire and has never been presented by?EI?as anything other than satire. El Fassed has written?this history of the piece and how it subsequently was mistaken for a real letter, on his personal blog.
Memo to: Thomas L. Friedman (columnist New York Times)
From: Nelson Mandela (former President South?Africa)
Dear?Thomas,
I know that you and I long for peace in the Middle East, but before you continue to talk about necessary conditions from an Israeli perspective, you need to know what?s on my mind. Where to begin? How about 1964. Let me quote my own words during my trial. They are true today as they were?then:
?I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to?die.?
Qatar invests in Israeli soccer despite Gaza and war of words with Jerusalem
By James M. Dorsey
Qatar is emerging for the second time in a decade as the only Arab state without a peace treaty and diplomatic relations to have invested in Israel. Qatar?s latest investment in Israeli Palestinian soccer comes against a backdrop of a war of words between the two countries over the Gulf state?s support for Hamas, the Islamist militia that controls the war-wracked Gaza Strip. Yet, Qatar?s relationship with Hamas makes it alongside Turkey the only country that can talk directly to the group as part of international efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. Continue reading “Qatar invests in Israeli soccer despite Gaza and war of words with Jerusalem”
Sneaking Social Media into the Classroom
In professional circles our school of photography Pathshala is considered to be one of the finest in the world. So it is no surprise that our students are excellent at their craft. However, having been in the profession for over 30 years and having worked in over 60 countries, I know full well that it takes more than photographic skills to become a successful photographer. People skills are essential and having a good online presence is mandatory.
So in the class I take for final year students, I no longer teach photography. There are plenty of other teachers who do that well. I help develop students? career prospects. We talk about presentation, writing grant applications, negotiating with clients and about having a strong online presence. Continue reading “Sneaking Social Media into the Classroom”