It was in 1989, a small group of people set up a picture agency in the unlikely location of Dhaka named Drik. The name 'Drik', the Sanskrit word for vision, the agency set out to represent a group of media professionals that other agencies did not cater for, practitioners living and working in the majority world. In the years that followed, many others from Asia, Africa and Latin America have joined the original group. All of them share a common vision - one that sees the majority world, not as fodder for disaster reporting, but as a vibrant source of human energy and a challenge to an unfair global economic system.
Drik completes its 19th year on September 4 this year. To celebrate the day it has organised a discussion meeting titled 'Looking Back,' at the Drik Gallery in the city yesterday.
Veteran photographers of the Liberation War Rashid Talukder, Naib Uddin Ahmed, Aftab Ahmed, Abdul Hamid Raihan and Jalaluddin Haider, among others, were present at the function and shared their experiences to inspire memories of 1971.
At the inauguration of the discussion meeting, country's renowned photographer and Managing Director of Drik Shahidul Alam briefed on 'what is Drik and why?' Then veteran photographers Rashid Talukder exchanged his experiences during the Liberation War. Then a presentation on street people seen through the eyes of the photographer was held. Later a documentary on the UK exhibition titled 'Bangladesh 1971' was presented at the function.
Drik itself is a rich storehouse of photography in the country. It has many activities like Drik picture library, photography, gallery, print production and event management, multimedia, digital printing, Internet and audio-visual system.
Drik picture library is at the heart of Drik. Established in response to the negative stereotyping of majority world peoples by western media, the agency was set up as a platform for media practitioners in the south. They also needed editorial support, help in printing, and sometimes cash advances, in order to take photographs.
The leading photo agency in the South Asia, Drik Picture Library has a unique collection of images from all over the world. Ranging from historical photographs, to large format architectural photographs and high-resolution digital images, the library is as much an archive as a source of stock images.
In the field of photography unlike most photo agencies, Drik has its own studio, providing not only high quality photography, but also setting standards of photographic excellence. Images produced by the studio adorn billboards and magazine covers as well as ice cream packs and industrial brochures. Award winning photographers taking on international assignments have worked on major news stories for mainstream publications.
Though the Drik Gallery was opened in August 1993 with the first showing of World Press Photo in Bangladesh, there is a story behind the scenes. In the middle of the massive democratic movement in the late 80's, on the streets, through curfews and through tear gas, photographers were documenting events in their entirety. Throughout this period, the major galleries, either state owned or belonging to foreign embassies, were not prepared to exhibit their work, since it was 'political.' They (photographers) knew that they had to build their own gallery. The first ever staging of World Press provided the perfect opportunity. They gathered their resources and built it. It is now, one of the finest galleries in South Asia and the largest private gallery in the country.
Besides, Drik provides other facilities like print production and event management, multimedia and digital printing facilities.