Ekushey Padak-winning photographer and Drik managing director Shahidul Alam departed Dhaka for Italy on Sunday to join the Global Media Flotilla, a part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s mission to Gaza — the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory.
This international media initiative aims to challenge the ongoing information blackout in Gaza and express global solidarity with its besieged population. Alam will be participating as the first Bangladeshi member of the coalition.
Speaking at a press conference held at DrikPath Bhaban in Panthapath on Saturday, Alam said, ‘If we are defeated, humanity will be defeated. I may be going as the first person from Bangladesh, but I am carrying the love of all Bangladeshi people with me.’
The briefing was attended by several Drik directors and staff, including anthropologist and writer Rehnuma Ahmed; Drik general manager and curator ASM Rezaur Rahman; deputy general manager Md Kamal Hossain; and journalist-researcher and Drik director Saydia Gulrukh.
Saydia Gulrukh highlighted the flotilla’s broader mission — to break the longstanding Israeli blockade of Gaza and address the deepening humanitarian crisis.
Organisers at the event noted that the Global Sumud/Freedom Flotilla, which set sail in late August with hundreds of participants and relief supplies, has already come under attack twice while traversing high-risk waters.
The Global Media Flotilla consists of a principal vessel accompanied by around 10 smaller boats. Participants from over 40 countries have joined, with nearly 500 individuals having taken part in various stages of the journey, according to organisers.
Rehnuma Ahmed described the flotilla as a powerful symbol of global civil society’s protest against mass violence in Gaza, adding that Bangladesh’s involvement was a source of national pride.
Drik officials confirmed that Alam and other media activists aboard the flotilla aim to document conditions in Gaza and ensure that independent reporting reaches international audiences as the convoy continues its voyage toward the besieged region.
