The global premiere of the film and exhibition titled ‘Shoot Me, I Bare My Chest – A Counter-Forensic Investigation into the Killing of Abu Sayed’ was held on Friday evening at DrikPath Bhobon in the capital, shedding a new light on Abu Sayed’s killing through a counter-forensic lens.
The initiative, spearheaded by Drik Picture Library, Bangladesh, in collaboration with Forensic Architecture in the UK, delves into the killing of Abu Sayed, a student activist of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, who died during a protest on July 16, 2024.
His death marked a significant moment in the ‘July Uprising’, which eventually led to the fall of the then Sheikh Hasina-led government.
Challenging the official narrative that claimed Sayed was killed by protesters using bricks and firearms, the counter-forensic investigation presents an alternate account.
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Utilising interviews, satellite imagery, photogrammetry, heat maps, and extensive photographic and video evidence, the findings suggest police responsibility and excessive use of force against demonstrators.
The event was moderated by eminent photographer and activist Dr Shahidul Alam, also Managing Director of Drik. Speakers included Jumanah Bawazir, Advanced Researcher at Forensic Architecture; Tasneem Khalil, Editor-in-Chief of Netra News; Nicholas Alistair Masterton, Technology Researcher at Forensic Architecture; Goljar Rahman Ador, photojournalist at daily Kaler Kantho in Rangpur; Asaduzzaman Arman, staff cameraman at NTV, Rangpur; Tawhidul Haque Siam, a student and university correspondent from Begum Rokeya University; and Parvez Ahmad Rony, Network Coordinator and Photojournalist at Drik.
Curated by ASM Rezaur Rahman, the exhibition presents a compelling narrative that not only highlights inconsistencies in official accounts but also raises urgent questions about accountability, justice, and state violence.
The exhibition and film will remain open to the public until July 26, every day from 3 pm to 8 pm on Level 2 of DrikPath Bhobon.