The names of the winners of the Bangladesh Press Photo Contest 2024 were unveiled on Monday, June 3, with Quddus Alam of Focus Bangla earning the prestigious Photo of the Year Award.

In an era plagued by fake news, printed photographs remain a beacon of reliability in the media. However, the profession of press photographers has become one of the most perilous. Recently, Bangladeshi photographers have gained global recognition, yet their collective talent has received little formal acknowledgment or appreciation for their contributions to the nation.

The Bangladesh Press Photo Award celebrates the courageous men and women who brave the frontlines to capture news, every day. A jury composed of the country's top professional photographers selected the finest works in photojournalism and informational photography from the previous year, highlighting the excellence of these photographers.

Quddus Alam from Focus Bangla won the Picture of the Year 2023 - his photograph features three women working at a construction site. Md Sazid Hossain from The Daily Prothom Alo became the winner under the Politics category - whose photograph showcases police and Bangladesh Army charging a mob during a student uprising.

The Business Standard's Nayem Ali secured an honourable mention in the Politics category for his photo of a student waving the Palestinian flag in the TSC-Dhaka University area during a screening of India vs Bangladesh Cricket World Cup 2023 match.

In the Public Interest Journalism category, Dainik Bangla's Syed Mahamudur Rahman won the title for a photograph of a girl atop a massive electrical utility pole. Daily Ittefaq's Abdul Goni received an honourable mention for his photo featuring three firefighters drenched in water after working hours to douse a fire.

In the Arts, Culture, and Sports category, FIAP's Kazi Golam Kuddus Helal won the title for his photograph of hundreds of Buddhist monks meditating in a forest. Newsbangla24's Piyas Biswas received an honourable mention in this category for his photo of a bullfight.

The winner of the Picture of the Year 2023 received a prize of BDT 100,000, an honorary plaque, a certificate, and an annual book edition. Each category winner received BDT 50,000, an honorary plaque, a certificate, and an annual book edition, while each honourable mention recipient received BDT 10,000 along with other prizes.

The annual contest recognises outstanding achievements in photojournalism and documentary photography. It celebrates the bravery and dedication of frontline news gatherers, highlighting their invaluable contributions to storytelling through imagery.

The panel of judges for the contest included renowned figures such as Amal Akash, Monirul Alam, Shahidul Alam, Shoeb Faruquee, and Tasmima Hossain, whose expertise and discernment ensured a fair and meticulous evaluation process.

The date of the award ceremony will soon be announced. An exhibition of the selected photographs is scheduled for June 2024 at Drik Gallery in Dhaka. To reach a broader audience, a virtual exhibition will also be held. Notably, 30 additional selected images will be showcased alongside the winning photos.

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