Editor's Note

Pictures of Imperfection

The subject of our cover story, photographer Main Uddin, started photographing seventeen years ago. One of the things that pushed him into this direction was a frustration with the rules at the NGOs he worked with. He was always a man of good intention. He wanted to help. At Helen Keller International, he got dissatisfied at a three month 'observation period' rule he was supposed to respect. He thought immediate action was necessary but much like the impaired patients he was working with, he himself felt helpless and paralyzed in the face of rules. This changed his course of action. His camera became his primary medium of communication, his way of speaking, doing. In the following story Main Uddin muses about his work and childhood and veteran photographer Shahidul Alam talks about what a photographer as storyteller really is.

Another story discusses an extra sour brand of lemon, apparently palatable only to Sylhetis. This assertion, of course is hyperbole, but nevertheless, the name of the variety, Hatkora seems designed to keep people away. Perhaps a ploy by the locals to jealously guard their precious lemons that are already scarce in supply. The trick seems to be to take them in small doses and a little bit of caution.

Abak Hussain
From the Insight Desk

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