Dhaka: Renowned Bangladeshi photojournalist and human rights activist Shahidul Alam has returned his honorary doctorate from the University of the Arts London in a show of solidarity with Palestinians suffering amidst the ongoing conflict with Israel.
Alam, a TIME magazine ‘Person of the Year’ for 2018, has been a vocal critic of the Israeli military response in Gaza following the Hamas attacks on Israeli citizens. He has not only made numerous posts through his social media handles condemning Israel’s attack but also criticised the Western government’s tacit support to Israel in global TV networks.
Alam was awarded with an Honorary Doctorate by the University of the Arts London on July 8, 2022, at the Royal Festival Hall in that city. The prestigious award recognised his exceptional contributions to photography and activism.
Aside from bagging dozens of global awards for his photography, Alam has showcased his works in world’s premier institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, Centre Georges Pompidou, Tate Modern, and the Museum of Contemporary Arts.
Notably, he is the first Asian to receive the Mother Jones Award for documentary photography and the first non-Caucasian to lead World Press Photo’s international jury.
Alam is also credited for single-handedly transforming his native Dhaka into a global photography hub, attracting esteemed photographers to teach and mentor, while fostering some of the world’s most promising emerging talent in his world renowned Drik Gallery and Pathashala Academy.
Returning the award
Alam said that he had, in 2022, gladly accepted the honorary doctorate degree from UAL Chancellor Grayson Perry. Alam said that he had then taken into note the university’s dedication to academic freedom and freedom of expression. At the time, UAL was ranked among the top two universities globally for art and design.
In recent times, inspired by demonstrations at Columbia University, student protests against Israel’s onslaught on Gaza have emerged on numerous university campuses across the Western world.
The firebrand human right defender notes that despite the appointment of James Purnell, a known Zionist, as Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Arts London, he was initially encouraged by UAL students’ vocal support for Palestine.
“These students were at the forefront of demonstrations urging their university to publicly support a ceasefire in Gaza,” Alam said in a press statement, “I am however expressing deep disappointment with how far removed the UAL administration, and specifically Vice Chancellor Purnell, appear to be from the student body’s stance on this issue.”
The statement issued by the Drik Gallery – the organisation Alam founded – said that the UAL students have repeatedly pointed out how they have been “stifled, stereotyped, and ignored.”
The students claim that UAL, “through its partnerships with PUMA, Kornit, LVMH, L’Oréal, and many other Israeli or Israel-affiliated companies and institutions, including Israel Oceanographic And Limnological Research, Shenkar Engineering and Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design” “is a willing accomplice in Israel’s regime of occupation, apartheid, and ongoing genocide.”
In light of this, Alam stated that he can no longer continue to “remain associated with UAL” and had officially informed Stephen Cross, Dean of Media, LCC that he was returning the Honorary Doctorate.
“The Israel is conducting genocide in Gaza and I cannot be associated with any organisation which try to stifle the voices of those who protest against this,” he said.
Faisal Mahmud is a journalist based in Dhaka.
