Shahidul Alam: Crossfire

Overview

Unafraid to shock and appall, sharp photographer, journalist and human rights activist Shahidul Alam examines the ever-increasing issue of ever-prominent extra-judicial killings in Bangladesh.

In 2004 the Bangladeshi government created The Rapid Action Battalion, a new armed-enforcement agency formed in response to what they perceived to be a law and order crisis. Quickly the RAB became notorious and feared for their quickness to act violently and itchy trigger fingers, and hated for the number of people, allegedly, blindly killed in the crossfire.

Shahidul Alam’s Crossfire opened to government opposition. First shown in 2010 to draw attention to The Rapid Action Battalion’s wanton disregard for public safety the project was swiftly shutdown by a government keen to hide from reality. But, following a high court ruling in Alam’s favour, the show was re-opened for a single day.

Following a successful run at New York’s Queens Museum in April this year the exhibition comes to Brisbane’s Powerhouse for its first Australian appearance.