Feature

Agonies with a Camera

Aditi Ahmed

Living in Dhaka has become a burden that refuses to lift. One tries to relax their shoulders once in a while only to find that the stubborn weight is a part of the package of the city's lifestyle. It is inevitable. It may take a lifetime to be aware of the hurdles and difficulties of such matters, or it might require a single experience that spans over ten minutes to learn that an innocent activity may be regarded with suspicion, hence subjecting people to unnecessary harassment.

A group of students, including myself, were in the process of making a short news report for a final class project, the topic revolving around the sprouting of shopping centers in residential areas. Our aim was to write up a thoroughly neutral script and getting footage of the shopping centers from the roads inside a moving car and not to bother with going inside the buildings itself due to certain restrictions that we were certain would hinder us from getting any shots of the interiors. All was set up according to plan, and it worked seamlessly until we reached a shopping center in a prominent area. We set up the camera and the tripod and got some shots of the building logo from a considerable distance. After a few minutes, the head of security, donned in a pair of psychedelic shades, marched up to us and asked us in a crude manner as to what we were doing. I was baffled, and not only because that such a blatant display of our activities actually warranted such a question, but it was due to the man's harsh tone of voice, which I felt was uncalled for. We explained to him how this was purely for academic reasons but he insisted that we go inside to get permission. I pointed out to him that as citizens, we had our rights to film anything in the city as long as we were not setting foot inside their property, and since such an eminent shopping complex happens to be right in front of the public eye, we should not be facing the prospect of undergoing needless formalities with any official figures of the shopping center. Unfortunately, the man was unyielding and he persisted with his argument. We submitted to his wishes thinking that it would be faster to simply get it over with. I bent to lift the camera, muttering angrily to myself, and then to my horror, the head of security started shouting at me. After a few seconds of utter disbelief, it dawned on me that the man was under the impression that I had said something offensive to him! He went on a tirade about how I should mind my language and so forth. We got inside the office where I was fed upon another dosage of how I should attain permission for filming their building. I reminded him that it is not a government building, but sadly, I was shouted down once more and was told that we are in no way authorized (the man was clearly under the impression that we needed reminding twice). At long last, we abandoned our efforts to convince the two men of our intentions and left the place with boiling tempers.

So what is it with Dhaka's mentality of three girls carrying a video camera? From my experience, meaning this particular one, it was clear that people expected us to be professional news reporters or that we are somehow involved with something more sinister. Funnily enough, we had our university ID cards with us, which apart from being absolutely useless in our attempts, were viewed upon with skepticism. Perhaps people in general have a mortal fear of large, professional video cameras altogether. Whatever the case, this level of uncooperativeness and less than friendly behavior was a blow. People have a tendency to mold a guiltless situation into something distorted, which incidentally, brings home the problems and crisis they wish to avoid. I understood perfectly as to why the head of security had required permission, I also empathized with his situation that it is his job, the means by which he gets his paycheck and that he is probably even highly sincere about his work, but I also realized that the man had difficulties to come to terms with the notion that an act of politeness, with a dash of pleasant mannerism doesn't do anyone any harm. We put all hands on deck to lead a civilized and decent life, and make efforts to prevent tainting those around us. If being treated to a large plate of rudeness and a side order of harsh cynicism is what we get for a mere class project, I must say that we should stand back and take a good look at ourselves, our rights and at our dignity, and perhaps pluck up the courage to display where we stand.

(Student of Media and Communication, Independent University Bangladesh)