• A look into the children suffering from cancer

Staff Reporter Dhaka : A photo exhibition styled as ‘Onkur’, organized by Mongol Deep Foundation, has recently been kicked off in the capital. The exhibition was inaugurated at ‘Batighar- Smritite Shorone Aly Zaker’ located in the Asiatic Centre (House – 63, Road – 7/B, Block – H, Banani) on 20 November 2022.

Every year, almost 3 lakh children are diagnosed with cancer in our country, of which only 20 percent get cured. To increase awareness and spread a wave of compassion for those unfortunate children, Mongol Deep Foundation has brought a photo exhibition titled ‘Onkur’ showcasing photographs taken by Farhana Satu.

The exhibition ‘Onkur’ depicts an intimate look into what life is like for children with cancer. Photographer Farhana Satu, a photojournalist and documentary photographer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is depicting the sad realities of the under privileged children with cancer which are often overlooked or taken for granted by the casual witnesses through the photographs. Every photograph is a testament of how the children with cancer cope and choose to stay optimistic in the face of adversity.

In this regard, Asaduzzaman Noor, Chairman of Asiatic 3Sixty Group and a Founding Member of Mongol Deep Foundation said, “The core purpose of creating Mongol Deep Foundation was to be associated with various cultural and philanthropic activities. As you know about Aly Zaker, he was a pioneer in the world of advertising. At the same time, he was a pioneer in the world of drama as well. He paved the way for the inception of commercial staging of dramas in Bangladesh back in 1973. Driving around the countryside and taking pictures of wild flowers was his passion. At least I saw him in many different avatars, out of which, the most prominent one was that of the freedom fighter Aly Zaker. He loved this country and its people very much. He always tried to do something for people within his capacity. We are trying to do something in the continuation of that, and today’s exhibition is a part of that”.

“New and promising artists, such as photographers or sculptors, currently do not have the opportunity to showcase their work in front of everyone at low or no cost in Bangladesh or Dhaka city”, said Iresh Zaker, a Founding Member of Mongol Deep Foundation, elaborating on the objective of this exhibition. “In this age of information technology, many things are now happening in the virtual world. But it is still important to be physically present to experience art. Through Batighor, we want to ensure such opportunities for young and talented artists. We have organized Onkur with this very objective. This is not the end; we hope to create some more platforms to showcase the skills of young and talented artists in and Batighor”, he added.

The exhibition will continue till December 3, 2022. It’s open for everyone from 3pm to 8pm every day.