One group that Akash documents arechild laborers, and he has spent 17 years capturing their plight.
Through his eye-openingand heartbreakingimages, Akash has exposed the harsh realities that these children face.
His photographs make it impossible to look away while imploring the viewer to do something to help these children.
Akash’s passion for the less fortunate extends beyond his camera.
My mission and my goal were to change the lives of these people who I photographed.
I wanted to give them something back from what I received.
I was fervently trying to find a way for myself to help these beautiful people change their lives.
Scroll down for our exclusive interview and learn how you too canhelp Akashin his tireless pursuit to help others.
How did your career in photography begin?
I more or less fell into photography while still deciding my future.
I found an old camera at homea Yashica FX3 that was my fathersand that camera changed my life completely.
I had no idea about photography or even that photography could be a profession.
Knowing nothing, I started roaming around here and there taking photos.
Later on, I did graduate studies in photography.
What were some of your first projects?
I have always been fascinated with marginalized peoples' lives and their stories.
From the beginning of my photography career, I started working with marginalized people of society.
In fact, working with these people has fostered a deep interest and understanding of photography and life.
Slowly my camera became my best friend and I started to profoundly discover meaning and purpose in my life.
Photography became, and still is, my mission.
I want to change peoples lives through photography.
I want to inspire them and give them a voice when they have no voice.
Your photographs bring to light many social issues that people choose to ignore.
What prompted you to produce this bang out of work?
Every person we meet in our lives has a story.
Some have very inspiring stories and some have stories of loss.
Every single person goes through so many different experiences in their lives.
My childhood had a big impact on my life.
The place where I grew up has had a big influence on my photography.
There was always fighting going on or loud music.
I wanted to know more about the lives of those women who lived inside those walls.
My cousins used to tease her all the time and make her dance sometimes almost naked.
I wanted to know what her sin was that caused everybody to make fun of her.
I spent sleepless nights thinking about Dalit people who lived in the sweepers colony.
Nobody used to let them come inside their home nor touch them because they were cleaners.
I used to think about all these people and wanted to know more about them.
What has it been like sharing your work with the world and exposing often harsh truths?
I wanted to let people know that our gender, sexual orientation, or profession does not define us.
We are all human beings.
Nothing is more beautiful than kindness and humanity in a good story.
For many years, you’ve captured images that show the heartbreaking reality of child labor.
Has that series prompted any change in Bangladesh?
There are four million children suffering and working in Bangladesh.
Although child labor is against the law, the problem is enormous, uncontrollable, and basically ignored.
As long as society accepts children working (other peoples) there is no enforcement of this labor law.
That photo was published and exhibited throughout the world in almost every mainstream and powerful newspaper.
It brought a great deal of international and national attention to this issue.
For that photo, I was awarded the prestigious World Press Photo Award in 2006.
I have continued working on the child labor issues over the years.
I have been especially active the last couple of years by a different approach to helping the children.
Can you elaborate on some of the extraordinary steps you’ve taken to do this?
For me, the relationship with the people I photograph is very important.
I build up a relationship before I take any single photo.
I spend sometimes months and months building up a relationship with them before using my camera.
And you will feel that relationship in the photos.
I keep that relationship even after completing my project.
I keep visiting all of them throughout my life.
I could see that the people in my photos were in the same hopeless situation many years later.
My mission and my goal were to change the lives of these people who I photographed.
I wanted to give them something back from what I received.
I was fervently trying to find a way for myself to help these beautiful people change their lives.
The education of children is my main concern for the people of my country.
This also enables people to live with more dignity and to feel motivated to contribute to society.
(continued)For example, I have given cows with calves to many families.
I have also gifted people with small businesses and taught them how to manage them and become self-sufficient.
An example is arranging for and giving a family a vegetable stand in the market.
I have set up similar business concepts for others.
I find out what they would be able to do which would motivate them and satisfy their family needs.
I am currently planning to help more people with different kinds of businesses.
Many of them are studying now in recognized institutions like Notre Dame College in Dhaka and Dhaka University.
Elderly couples who have no children have to live on their own.
They have no one to support them and no income even to buy their daily food nor other necessities.
I look after 20 elderly couples and every week I buy and supply them with everything they need.
Whenever I get any money, I venture to help people.
Can you tell us more about the school you’ve established?
One of my most important social work projects is to educate poor young rural children.
This rural branch of the school was started five years ago under a tree with 30 eager students.
There are currently 160 poor children who get almost free education up to class five.
Because of the increase in the number of students, we have built an extension to the building.
There are 10 teachers employed who receive monthly wages as well as training.
These children will be the first generation to ever be educated in this region.
Your images evoke many emotional responsesone of them prompting us to ask ourselves, How can I help?
Is there a way that people can help you in your mission?
These humane and extraordinary stories need support and funding for be told.
I give my heartfelt thanks and deep gratitude for all the generous support for the work I do.
