After dedicating over five decades to photography and shaping the visual history of Bangladesh, renowned photographer Nasir Ali Mamun was finally recognised with the Ekushey Padak this year, after being nominated for the past five years, and being denied each time.
This year, he finally received the country’s second-highest civilian award in Bangladesh, an honour he had long awaited.
The government awarded the Ekushey Padak 2025 to 14 eminent citizens and the Bangladesh women's national football team on February 20, in recognition of their contributions to their respective fields. The solo recipients are: eminent poet Helal Hafiz (posthumous) and Shahidul Zahir (posthumous) for their contributions in language and literature; Azizur Rahman (posthumous) for film; Ustad Nirad Baran Barua (posthumous) and Ferdous Ara for music; Mahfuz Ullah (posthumous) for journalism; Dr Mahmudur Rahman for journalism and human rights, Dr Shahidul Alam for culture and education; Dr Niaz Zaman for education; Bangla language software Avro founding team (Mehdi Hasan Khan, Rifat Nabi, Md Tanbin Islam Siam and Shabab Mustafa) for science and technology; Mohammad Yusuf Chowdhury (posthumous) for social service; Moidul Hasan for research; Rokeya Sultana for painting and Nasir Ali Mamun for photography.
"Every year for the past five years, I was nominated for the Ekushey Padak but was denied at the last moment. This time, after facing rejection for five consecutive years, I finally received it. The pain that had accumulated over these years has now ended, and this recognition brings me immense joy," Mamun said in a special interview with UNB.
Nasir Ali Mamun, widely known as the pioneer of portrait photography in Bangladesh, believes that national recognition is the rightful due of those who dedicate their lives to creative endeavours for the country. "As an independent photographer, this award was my right - and I believe I truly deserved it because, in this field, I am one of the most qualified among the living. Receiving this honor in photography has been my dream and a long-standing expectation," he said.
Reflecting on his journey, Mamun recalled how he started as a young, passionate photographer in 1971, at the age of 17.
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"Many may not be able to imagine today how, 54 years ago, a young boy embarked on a lifelong journey with photography. This journey - marked by dedication, obstacles, and breakthroughs - is perhaps more dramatic than a novel or a film," he said on the stage after receiving his Ekushey Padak from the chief adviser, Dr Muhammad Yunus, at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.
His deep curiosity about notable personalities and various subjects led him to photography. "I was drawn to the magical device called the camera - but back then, I had no personal camera, no formal training in photography. In the early days, many of the personalities I wanted to photograph, would initially refuse to give me time; but I approached them with a different proposition.”
“I convinced them by saying, 'You spend money and time going to studios for photos, but those images do not capture your real image; as they are overly retouched and artificial. Let me bring the studio to your home and capture your true self.' This intrigued many, and gradually, they started trusting me," Mamun recalled while receiving his honour.
