G.M.B. Akash, a multi-awarded photojournalist from Bangladesh and a student of the Diploma in Multimedia Journalism class has won first prize in the “KLICK! – Your View of Human Rights and Globalization – international photo competition at this year’s Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany.
His winning photo, “ Children’s Hands,” was among the 30 best pictures voted online worldwide that was selected the best photo by some 1,500 delegates to the Global Media Forum held from 20-22, June 2011. Josef Hinterleitner with his photo titled ‘Multi Kulti’ won second prize while ‘Drinking Water for All ‘ by Monowara Begum Moni took third place. The Forum’s theme was “Human Rights in a Globalized World: Challenges for the Media.”
Launched by Deutsche Welle and Amnesty International, the contest looked for images that reflected the photojournalists’ view of human rights or globalization, or pictures of projects, actions and campaigns that brought attention to human rights. The Global Media Forum will use these remarkable images to create a photographic world atlas – a visual platform mapping the changes and issues that are taking place in our own backyards.
Akash recent winning adds to his list of distinctions in photojournalism which he has accumulated since he began his journey to the world of photography in the mid 90s. He is currently enrolled at ACFJ’s one-year Diploma in Multimedia Journalism class, which he said would expand his skills in combining text, photo, graphics and video to depict the social ills that need change in society.
“ When I take pictures mostly of social issues involving ordinary and less privileged people, particularly in my country Bangladesh, there are two things that I want to accomplish; one, my photo should be able to bring about positive change and, two, it should be appreciated for its aesthetic rendition and message it conveys,” Agash said.
To date, he has received more than 40 international awards from all around the world and his work has been featured in over 50 major international publications including: National Geographic, Vogue, Time, Sunday Times, Newsweek, Geo, Stern, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, Marie Claire, Colors, The Economist, Amnesty Journal, Courier International, PDN, Die Zeit, Days Japan, Hello, and Sunday Telegraph of London.
In 2002, he became the first Bangladeshi to be selected for the World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass in the Netherlands. In 2004 he received the Young Reporters Award from the Scope Photo Festival in Paris, again being the first Bangladeshi to receive the honor. In 2005 he was awarded Best of Show at the Center for Fine Art Photography’s international competition in Colorado, USA. In 2006 he was a World Press Photo awardee.
In 2007, he became the first Bangladeshi to be selected for the 30 Emerging Photographers (PDN 30) by Photo District News Magazine, USA.
He won the 7th Vevey international photography grant from Switzerland in 2009. In 2009, Akash wins the international ‘Travel photographer of the year ‘title from the international travel photographer of the year competition (TPOY 2009), the most prestigious award in travel photography.
