The photography exhibition titled  Faces of Empowerment by photographer GMB Akash has begun at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka. The inaugural ceremony of the exhibition was held on Tuesday, 20  February 2018.

HE Asaduzzaman Noor, Minister of Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh graced the occasion as the chief guest and HE Mikael Hemniti Winther, Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh also attended the program as the special guest.

The guest of honor of the inauguration ceremony was 29-year old Rotna from rural Rajshahi. Rotna endured mental and psychical abuse in the hands of her husband and her in-laws for years. With help from a One-Stop-Crisis Centre at the local public hospital, she managed to escape the violence. Her husband was brought to justice through the One-Stop-Crisis Centre, which is supported by Danida. Today, Rotna owns a beauty parlour in her village and her children attend school.

In cooperation with the Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh, GMB Akash has captured twenty ‘Faces of Empowerment by GMB Akash’. They are portrayals of some of the poorest and most stigmatized people in Bangladesh. These are people, who have all been enrolled in Danish funded development programmes in rural Bangladesh under Danida.

Faces of Empowerment shows the faces and tells the stories of people who prevailed when life was unliveable. It is stories of injustice, torture and broken families, but it is also stories of salvation, strength and economic empowerment. GMB Akash gives these people a voice. The portraits offer a rare look into the lives and destinies that does not hit the headlines.

The exhibition marks the longstanding development cooperation between Denmark and Bangladesh. Denmark has worked to eradicate poverty, promote basic human rights in rural Bangladesh since 1972.