A ten-day solo photography exhibition shedding light on the human stories of those wrongfully convicted and condemned to death began at Drik Gallery in Panthapath, Dhaka.
The exhibition titled ‘Living on Death Row’ displays photographs captured by Bangladeshi documentary photographer Mosfiqur Rahman Johan.
It has been organised by the delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh in collaboration with the French embassy in Dhaka and Drik Picture Library.
Information and broadcasting adviser Md Mahfuz Alam, ambassador and head of the delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller and the newly appointed French ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Sere-Charlet were present as guests at the inaugural ceremony of the exhibition curated by Tanzim Wahab.
The exhibition, organised to mark World Day Against the Death Penalty, highlights the stories of individuals who were wrongfully convicted and spent years on death row.
The displayed photographs explore the psychological, social and emotional toll of long-term solitary confinement on prisoners and their families.
Besides, the photographs address the issue of wrongful convictions and the lack of access to justice in Bangladesh.
Among those featured are Majeda Begum from Rangpur, who spent six years in a condemned cell based on a forced confession; Aouwal Hossain, who spent around 14 years on death row; Anower Hossain, who also spent 14 years; and Golam Azam, who spent 8 years.
‘Evidence shows that the application of the death penalty does not act as a deterrent to crime. It can risk, however, the execution of innocent people, as this exhibition well illustrates,’ said Michael Miller.
He added that more than two-thirds of the world’s countries have abolished the death penalty, either in law or in practice, proving that justice and human dignity can prevail.
The exhibition will end on October 19.