Iconic Bangladeshi Photographer, Shahidul Alam, Arrested, Detained, And Physically Abused By Officials

The killing of two college students on 29 July by an unlicensed bus driver triggered massive protests in Bangladesh.

According to Al Jazeera, this was the final push to the public’s growing anger against the government. There had been instances of “widespread extrajudicial killings, disappearings, bribery, and corruption.” Several videos also showed the government’s brutal actions against protesters and photojournalists. Shahidul Alam, a renowned Bangaldeshi photographer, writer, social activist and fierce critic of the government, was amongst those who uploaded the videos on Facebook. He also voiced his thoughts on Al Jazeera. Following the interview, on 5 August, at around 10pm, at least 30 plain clothes officers descended on his home in Dhaka and forced him into a van, and he was officially placed under arrest the next day.