As a start-up project of the May 18 Photo Exhibition, there has been the photo exhibitions under the title of "The Great Heritage of Democracy" in 4 South Asian countries(Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan) from April 15th, 2016. Here is a vivid report from the field.

It was a great experience for us to arrange the photo exhibition, “May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising: The Great Heritage of Democracy". Sixty pictures were exhibited in the photo exhibition; all of the pictures were taken in May, 1980 during the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in Gwangju, South Korea. The photo exhibition was supported by The May 18 Memorial Foundation.

In Bangladesh our organization, Subornogram Foundation, arranged this exhibition in three phases. In the first phase, we arranged the exhibition at Zias Art Gallery on April 15 – 21, 2016 in Asad Gate, Dhaka. In the second phase, we arranged the exhibition in the TSC, the University of Dhaka on April 22 – 28, 2016. In the third phase, we arranged the exhibition and seminar at R.C. Majumder Auditorium in University of Dhaka on May 18, 2016. This third phase event was jointly organized by Subornogram Foundation and the study circle of Dhaka University, Prantiksanskriti.

The main aim of the photo exhibition was to spread out the spirit of May 18 Gwangju democratic uprising in Bangladesh and get a better understanding of the great sacrifice of the Gwangju citizen in 1980 for restoring the democracy in South Korea. The exhibition was a grand success in Bangladesh. It inspired the Bangladeshi citizens and gave an excellent space and opened the door for discussions about the Bangladesh’s present democratic challenges. Many distinguished citizens of the country, students, human rights defenders, democratic and political activists, writers, artists, journalists and the representatives of the civil society visited the exhibition.

I made a short speech in the inauguration ceremony of the first phase exhibition to make the visitors understand the background of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising and feel the spirit of the Uprising.

In my speech I said as follows: “It's all about the Democratic spirit of Republic of Korea against the army dictator in 1980 in the Gwangju Movement, where more than 220 democratic activists sacrificed their lives for the democracy. On May 22, 1980, the protest of Gwangju citizens continued against the genocide of the airborne troops. The road that connected Gwangju to the outskirts was fully controlled, revealing their sly plan of preventing stories from spreading further so that Gwangju became isolated. Before this disaster, Gwangju was quiet and peaceful but soon fear and anxiety filled Gwangju. Gwangju citizens then faced the darkness and an unknown future. Nonetheless, the future generation recognized the correct attitude and behavior that Gwangju took, having no doubt. In conclusion, on May 27, 1980, the new military ruthlessly put down the May 18 Democratic Uprising. After the conflict, while still under the military governance, the fight to tell the truth of the May 18 Democratic Uprising continued. At times, though, they did not pay full attention to this matter. For a considerable period of time after the 10 days struggle during May 18 - 27, 1980, they did not realize that if their stories were to be told to the world, the world would cheer them and take their side eventually. Later on, they realized and decided to speak out the world: "Please let the world know we are fighting as one against the injustice!' In order to support the struggling democratic citizens,a booklet『The student Council of Germany and South Korea standing side by side with Gwangju Citizens』was published on May 31, 1980. The name of the booklet was produced to spread the word.”

In the first phase, we, Subornogram Foundation and School of Fine Arts,jointly arranged an art competition among the school children at the Zias Art Gallery, where around 150 school children from different schools of the city took part in the art competition. They are also students of the School of Fine Arts, Zias Art Gallery. After the inauguration ceremony, the students viewed all the photos of the exhibition for 45 minutes, and then they participated in the art competition and started painting their own pictures based on the Gwangju Democratic Uprising.

On 21 April 2016, the result of the art competition was announced and 12 students were awarded certificate and crest among the 3 groups. The Award giving ceremony was great inspiration for the children. We also sent some of the selected 38 paintings to May 18 Memorial Foundation from the Children Art Competition in Dhaka, and those paintings are now exhibited at the Exhibition Hall of the May 18 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju.

In the second phase exhibition at TSC, many students and professors of different departments of University of Dhaka visited the exhibition. At last, we arranged the third phase exhibition, as well as a seminar at R.C. Majumder Auditorium in University of Dhaka on May 18, 2016. It was a whole day exhibition, 3 hours seminar and group discussions among the students of the University of Dhaka. We have chosen that particular day, May 18, to arrange the exhibition and organize the seminar and group discussions to commemorate the day and show our solidarity with the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. We have decided that every year voluntarily we will commemorate the May 18 by arranging photo exhibition, seminars and group discussions on the Gwangju Democratic Uprising.

An assistant professor,ShantanuMajumder of department of political science, and a lecturer, Maria Hussain of department of peace and conflict studies of University of Dhaka, and a human rights officer from Subornogram Foundation, DhimanSaha, spoke in the seminar. After the seminar, 50 students of the 7th semester of department of political science of the University of Dhaka took the part in the group discussions on the Gwangju Democratic Uprising spirits and also discussed human rights and democratic situation in Bangladesh. This discussion was very interactive and thought-provoking.

The present situation of human rights and democracy is in grave danger in Bangladesh. We are facing many challenges and oppression from the state. Bangladesh continues to confront major obstacles to fostering a culture of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Despite its return to constitutional democracy in 1991 after a series of military governments and strongman rule, the country still struggles to establish democracy among the political elite, who are hopelessly divided along partisan lines.

Bangladesh’s return to constitutional democracy provided some optimism for a gradual improvement in its rather dismal human rights record, yet significant change has not taken place. Extrajudicial killings by security forces, deaths in police custody, killing of the free thinkers, bloggers, writers by the extremist groups, and the Government’s mysterious silence on this, harassment of political opponents, arbitrary arrest, and detention, and the use of the lower judiciary to serve partisan interests of the ruling party all continue.

In this most frustrating situation in our country, the exhibition "May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising: The Great Heritage of Democracy" was a great inspiration for the Human Rights and Democratic activists, civil society groups, students, writers and intellectuals in Bangladesh.