About Us
In May 2008, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh pronounced that urdu-speakers had always qualified as Bangladeshi nationals. The court noted, in a statement which is testimony to the inclusive aspirations of Bangladesh, that
“By keeping the question of citizenship unresolved on wrong assumption over the decades, this nation has not gained anything rather was deprived of the contribution they could have made in the national building. The sooner the Urdu-speaking people are brought into the mainstream of the nation is the better.“
This photographic competition is to mark that landmark judgement. Many problems sadly remain, and only by drawing people’s attention to these issues and through exchange can we hope to change things and make Bangladesh an inclusive society in which Urdu-speakers can play their fullest role as citizens.
The competition has two themes – Camp Life and Common Future. See the details in The Rules page. Submissions for the Camp Life category must come from one of the Urdu-speaker camps in Bangladesh. The Camp Life category attracts a higher category of prize. Even if a submitter does not win a prize, Camp Life photographs are particularly welcomed and a selection will be used as part of a touring exhibition. Common Future category allows people both inside and outside Bangladesh who are unable to visit the camps to nevertheless take part and to bring to attention the commonness of human struggle and solidarity.