Solo photo exhibition titled Hajong to open at AFD Friday

An exhibit of the solo photography exhibition that will open at AFD, Dhanmandi on Friday 14 March 2025.

The first solo photography exhibition titled Hajong by Mohammad Asadurjaman Aslam Molla at will open at its La Galerie Alliance Française de Dhaka on Friday, 14 March 2025 at 4 pm.

The opening of the exhibition will be graced by Nurul Kabir, writer and editor of New Age, and Mustafa Zaman, artist and art critic.

The exhibition will be open to all till Tuesday, 18 March 2025.

Open to all everyday from 3 pm to 9 pm

The exhibition will highlight the rich culture, traditions, and lifestyle of the Hajong community, a small ethnic group residing in the northeastern regions of Bangladesh, including Sunamganj, Sylhet, and Mymensingh. The Hajongs have a unique culture and religion, closely aligned with Hinduism but centered around worshipping Shiva, their chief deity. Aslam Molla’s work will capture their distinct customs, including their practice of wearing paita, the holy thread, and their devotion to Goddess Durga and other deities.

The Hajong people, who were significantly displaced during the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent, have a history intertwined with political movements, particularly the fight against the exploitation of zamindars in the Mymensingh division. Aslam Molla's exhibition will also shed light on their struggles, including their involvement with the Communist Party and the subsequent migration of around 30,000 Hajong refugees to India in 1964.

Aslam Molla, a photographer and theatre activist. He is currently working as a journalist at New Age. His past exhibitions include the Colombo Art Expo 2024 and the 25th National Art Exhibition in 2023, where he won the Best Award in Photography. – Press release