ANWAR HOSSAIN'S French Diaries

A solo photography exhibition titled “French Diaries: 25 Years, 25 Images” by eminent photographer Anwar Hossain began at the La Galerie of Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) on January 22 evening.

Dr Pierre Claquin, photographer and public health consultant, Dilip Das Gupta, Chevalier, Sr. General Manager, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC and eminent photographer Nasir Ali Mamun were among the distinguished guests at the opening ceremony. Bruno Plasse, Director of AFD welcomed the guests and presided over the opening ceremony.

“Today we treasure his work with that of Naibuddin Ahmed. As a cinematographer, we welcome his modern outlook. His contribution to Bangladeshi for the last 50 years has been tremendous. He was different from others and won many prizes,” Nasir Ali Mamun said of Anwar Hossain.

Anwar Hossain himself spoke about the work comparing it to symphonies in Parisian parks. He spoke about his sons Akash and Megdoot, who were like part of life in a rainbow. He recalled the hospitality of the French people; taxi drivers in Paris would drive 189 kilometres and not charge anything, because he was a visitor.

The ceremony was followed by a special slideshow at Auditorium Nouvelle Vague, Alliance Française de Dhaka.

The photos at the exhibit are Anwar Hossain's reflection of a life of 25 years that he had been living in France. It is a 'photographic biography' of sorts, although Hossain appears more as a subjective human being than a photo-biographer.

The exhibition will be open to all till January 30.