The New Nation - Internet Edition

Fakir Selim, New York

While meeting with the representatives of America Bangladesh Press Club at a restaurant in Jacksionheights, New York on Thursday (May 8), renowned Bangladeshi photojournalist Pavel Rahman called for providing more professional training to the photojournalists of Bangladesh working for different media.

Chaired by Press Club senior vice president Kazi Shamsul Hoque, the meeting was addressed, among others, by secretary Darpan Kabir, executive member Fazlur Rahman, Nazmul Ahsan, Lavlu Ansar, Akbar Haider Kiron and Behar Siddiqui.

Pavel Rahman said the photojournalists do the most risky jobs for newspapers, but unfortunately they are kept out of all benefits.

Citing few examples of his professional experiences, including the incident of August 21 grenade attack, Pavel said many photojournalists like him repeatedly escaped death.

He also requested the Bangladeshi newspapers authorities to provide most modern equipments like cameras, lenses to photojournalists and let them do better in their profession.

Pavel Rahman has come to the United States last month to receive few awards for his works. On April 18 he received the Picture of the Year Award from Washington which was given by the National Geography and some other media including The Washington Post and New York Times.

On May 17, he will receive Award of Excellence from Atlanta Press Club and on June 12 he will receive Associated Press Managing Editor's Prize. All these awards were given to him for one of his photos on Chittagong Hill Slide in which at least 250 people died.

Pavel Rahman began his profession as a photographer after liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 through the newspaper `Ekota'. Later he worked for Sachitra Sandhani, Kishore Bangla, Janapad, Sangbad, New Nation, Banglabazar Patrika, Janakantha and Associated Press.

He received many national and international awards including awards from japan, Brazil, India and Singapore. Pavel Rahma meet America Bangladesh.