OUR CORRESPONDENT, Mymensingh

Naib Uddin Ahmed alias Manik Mia, an internationally reputed photographer, preserved some of the most striking scenes from the Liberation War of 1971 with his camera -- scenes of torture, aggression, and grave injustice.

One of his most iconic works is the historic photograph titled “Muktijuddhe Tin Kishore (Three Freedom Fighters)”.

The photo, displayed at the main corridor of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, surprisingly does not bear Naib’s name.

Despite his immense contribution to capturing many such images, which are now invaluable for their vivid portrayal of the scenes from the warfront, Naib’s name is now almost forgotten.

Only a few of his colleagues, well-wishers and family members still remember this veteran behind the lens during the Liberation War.

Naib is also the elder brother of the eminent photographer late Dr Noazesh Ahmed.

Many of the photographs Naib had captured during the Liberation War are used massively on different occasions across the country, but his name is often not credited, which is painful, said Mahmuda Nasrin Kajol, his daughter-in-law.

Born in Paril Nauda village under Singair upazila of Manikganj in 1927, Naib joined Public Relations and Publications Department of Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh in 1961 as chief photographer. He went on retirement in 1990 and passed away on December 14, 2009.

“Taking great risk, Naib captured striking images of brutality unleashed by the Pakistani forces and their local cohorts in 1971. These photographs helped publicise the war to the world and now survive as documents of the Liberation War,” said Md Nowab Ali, 81, one of his colleagues.

Bimol Pal, a valiant freedom fighter, said Naib had managed to send some photographs to Col Abu Taher, commander of Sector-11, with the help of local Budhhijibi Sangram Parishad members.

“One of the photographs of a rape victim, which was published in The Washington Post, invalidated the occupying forces’ claim of ‘normalcy’ and exposed the atmosphere of terror that prevailed everywhere in the country to the rest of the world,” Bimol said.

In later years, Naib organised many solo exhibitions of his photographs at home and abroad, including in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

He was also founder of Alokchitra Shilpi Sangsad in Mymensingh city, and achieved many awards for his brilliant photographs, including the United Nations Award, Unicef Award, award in Photo Contest on Liberation of Bangladesh, World Photo Contest in Moscow, Pravda Award, and Life-time Achievement Award by Drik Picture Library.

“We pursued on different occasions, but Naib did not get recognition as a freedom fighter,” said Kajol.

“We just want him to be recognised as a freedom fighter by the state for his contributions behind the lens on the warfront,” she added.