DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHER AND FILMMAKER MOHAMMAD RAKIBUL HASAN REFLECTS ON HIS JOURNEY AND THE IMPACT OF PHOTOJOURNALISM ON BOTH THE WORLD AND ON HIMSELF.
Documentary Photographer/Filmmaker
WHEN DID YOU REALISE YOUR LOVE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO STUDY AND HAVE A CAREER IN?
In my childhood, I read a lot of books, including world literature; Shakespeare, Dante, Russian literature, Tagore, Sarat Chandra and more. This knowledge inspired me to write poetry and stories. Later, I found drawing and painting to be interesting, and I started participating in competitions. After finishing my schooling, I went to India for further studies. I wanted to study fine arts or literature, but my family wanted me to become an engineer or doctor. I got admitted to Kalyani university in West Bengal and studied Sociology. Afterwards, I went to Australia to study Policy Studies at Australian National University. I did not really like the subject, so I transferred to the University of Sydney and studied filmmaking. I enjoyed cinematography and directing films. The cinematography course, in particular, gave me an interest in photography. We had several types of assignments, including one with a still camera, which I knew nothing about at the time, so, along with buying a camera, I bought a book called ‘Fundamentals of Photography.’
One day, I was crossing on a water taxi opposite the Sydney Opera house. I was looking at it and saw a few activists protesting the Iraq war by climbing the sail of the Opera House and writing “NO WAR” in red. Within a few minutes, police helicopters started patrolling, and they got arrested. The next day, I saw a newspaper with an article about the incident with a picture. This image got circulated worldwide through the internet, and I realised the power of the picture in immediately transmitting emotions that can be felt by everyone. It was then that I decided that I would become a photojournalist.
PHOTOGRAPHS AND DOCUMENTARIES HELP PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD AND TO FEEL THE PAIN OF OTHERS, WHICH ALLOWS ONE TO BECOME MORE EMPATHETIC AND MORE HUMAN.
YOU HAVE BEEN A HUMANITARIAN PHOTOGRAPHER AND DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER FOR MANY YEARS, AND HAVE WORKED FOR SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATIONS. HOW DID YOU GET INTO THIS PARTICULAR FIELD OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY?
I have practised most of the popular genres of photography. By 2011, I had become a known face in the industry in Bangladesh. I practised both advertising photography as well as humanitarian photography, and I worked with several different NGOs, especially international ones. I have worked with the UN, UN Women, UNHCR and UNDP. I have been very empathetic since my childhood, and I feel for other people. I never liked social injustice and I felt sad if I could not do anything about it. In my case, since I am a photojournalist and documentary filmmaker, through my photography and motion pictures, I try to capture those stories so that audiences can listen to or watch those stories and can get aware of the issues. To me, this is indirectly helping society. I also produce a lot of personal photo stories and personal documentaries, and those projects are also based on human rights, women’s rights and other rights-based issues. Those stories got published internationally, showcased in exhibitions and got recognised by several award-winning organisations. Photographs and documentaries help people to know about other parts of the world and to feel the pain of others, which allows one to become more empathetic and more human.
A LOT OF YOUR WORK DEALS WITH ISSUES THAT PEOPLE OFTEN DO NOT WANT TO ADDRESS, SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE, POVERTY AND REFUGEES AMONG OTHERS. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ROLE DO ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY PLAY IN INSPIRING AND CREATING SOCIAL CHANGE, AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT THESE SITUATIONS GET PROPERLY DOCUMENTED?
In documentary photography and photojournalism, we showcase some kind of reality, though it is subjective. As human beings, we all experience similar types of reality. Some people may experience different types of reality for different purposes with the help of technology. Time is dynamic, it only has a past and future but you cannot point out a definite present time anywhere. As time is passing and many facts and events and occurrences are going on at the same time, we have to document the reality. It’s not only a history of humankind, it’s a history of the world that we are preserving through our photographs or motion pictures. For example, there is a war going on in Ukraine, and someone has to document it for the purpose of evidence, preserving the history, and letting the world know what is going on over there. Truth can be fabricated, and while a photograph can be fabricated too, we will still be able to know a portion of the real fact through this. It is vital for documenting the world and what is going on, and this kind of document will also help future generations. These are also materials for learning and research – they are visual documentation.
YOU HAVE BEEN IN SOME VOLATILE AND DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FOR YOUR WORK. HAVE YOU EVER FACED ANY SITUATIONS THAT HAVE AFFECTED YOUR MENTAL HEALTH? HOW HAVE YOU DEALT WITH THIS?
Throughout my 20-year career, I had to encounter a lot of traumatic events. Once, in Bangladesh, there was continuous political unrest, and there were numerous bombings in public places; several people got injured. I used to go to Dhaka Medical College every day and one day I found a young woman bawling. I learnt that her husband had died that morning. I had taken photographs of him just the day before. The other photojournalists present at the time, as well as myself, were also crying. I felt how terrible losing someone beloved is, as well as terrified and devastated because even my pictures could not bring immediate justice or return that person from death. I can still smell the burning of human flesh from the burn victims, and that smell is imprinted in my memory. I was also present after the Rana Plaza incident. I had never seen so many dead bodies at a time, and most of them were hard to recognise. I felt the smell of death. It is a terrible experience, and many journalists, doctors and humanitarian workers feel trauma.
Nowadays, I don’t feel like covering any issues about political clashes or people dying. I do not want to see any more dead bodies as I cannot take them anymore. Seven years ago, I was going through a depressive state and I had to seek treatment from a mental health professional and was taking antidepressants. This depression developed due to some personal reasons, and some unanswered questions regarding justice. It still is difficult to deal with and I no longer cover any conflicts.
These days, I try to portray beautiful things rather than pointing out injustices. Rather than thinking about dead bodies or people who are starving, when you deal with spirituality in your art, you will feel some kind of boost to move further. Spirituality is neither beautiful nor ugly, so I find it better to stay on the neutral side rather than think of injustice. This year, I produced a work, ‘The Black Roses,’ that is about my experience with depression. It’s a kind of appropriation in photography – it is a blend of genres of art, including performance, photography, appropriation, and digitally manipulated images.
IN YOUR FIELD, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO CONSTANTLY KEEP LEARNING, AND HOW MUCH HAS THE INDUSTRY IN BANGLADESH CHANGED SINCE YOU FIRST STARTED?
In every profession, it is important to learn new things. Technology is always changing, and the media landscape is developing day by day. You have to cope with these changes. I like to learn new things, especially in an academic setting. I have already studied at seven different universities.
Society is changing due to new technology, new philosophies and new habits. As an artist, I have to use technology to make new kinds of art, and I have to think out of the box. As thinking is a process of philosophy, one has to know about new philosophies and to do that, they have to read books. I have studied in the USA, UK, India, Philippines, and of course in Bangladesh. Without diversity, you cannot create some outstanding piece of art. Art is always based on theory and execution, both are important, and they are intertwined. Only when you know both can you call yourself an artist.