Staff Correspondent

The World Press Photo 2024 exhibition, organised by Drik Picture Library, as part of its partnership with the World Press Photo Foundation, has begun at Drik Gallery in Dhaka.

The 16-day exhibition showcases the finest of photojournalism and documentary photography from around the world, selected by an independent jury based on the results of the foundation's annual photo contest.

At the opening ceremony on Friday evening, Irma van Dueren, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bangladesh; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, United Nations; and Shahidul Alam, Managing Director of Drik and ex-jury board chair for the World Press Photo contest, were present to reflect on the exhibition and the context of its Dhaka edition.

The event was moderated by ASM Rezaur Rahman, coordinator for the Asian region of the World Press Photo Contest 2024.

Regarding the relationship between the embassy, WPPF and Drik, Shahidul Alam said, “When we first decided to have the WPP exhibition here at Drik in 1993, one of the conditions was that it be shown in a country where it could not be censored. Some pictures are sensitive, and the precondition is that all have to be exhibited unedited. Through this exhibition, we are taking this opportunity to celebrate reaching press freedom in Bangladesh for democracy and at a particular point in time, when we are looking forward work for the nation we want.”

Lauding the exhibition, Ambassador Irma van Dueren said, “This exhibition is not only an exhibition we see for photojournalism and most journalists who do not have access to technology but also a very strong message through their images.”

As the regional partner for Asia, Drik Picture Library organised the 2022 World Press Photo Exhibition in November 2022. In addition, it organised the judging process for Asia's entries to the 2023 World Press Photo Contest in Dhaka and the 2024 World Press Photo Contest online.

The 2024 World Press Photo Contest worked with six worldwide regions – Africa, Asia, Europe, North and Central America, South America, and Southeast Asia and Oceania. For its 67th edition, the contest saw 3,851 photographers from 130 countries enter 61,062 photographs and open format entries.

Selected from more than 61,000 entries, the award-winning works document some of the most pressing issues facing the world today, from devastating conflicts and political upheaval to the climate crisis and the safe passage of migrants.

The World Press Photo Exhibition 2024 premiered at De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on April 19 this year, before starting its global tour. Currently, it is touring over 60 locations worldwide.

The exhibition will be on display for all until November 14, 2024, every day from 3 pm to 8 pm.