��������

DHAKA: Renowned photographer Shahidul Alam joined the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s latest mission on Sunday, becoming the first Bangladeshi to take part in the international effort to break Israel’s siege of Gaza.

An educator, media institution builder, and activist, Alam, 70, has received numerous accolades for his work documenting human rights abuses and political upheaval across Bangladesh for over four decades.

A Time magazine Person of the Year in 2018, he was also the first person of color to chair the World Press Photo jury.

He flew from Dhaka on Sunday for Sicily, where a new wave of boats is following the route of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which sailed from Italy, Spain, and Tunisia in late August and early September with around 500 activists from 44 countries.

“I want to represent Bangladeshi people and express the fact that Bangladeshis have this love for Palestine, and there is this resistance,” Alam told Arab News.

“I think this is the time to express that Bangladeshi people are not spineless: We’ve taken down an autocrat of our own; we want to rid the world of dictators.”

Student protests across Bangladesh last year led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who ruled the country for 15 straight years  —  a period marred by crackdowns on the opposition, freedom of expression and press.

Alam was in prison during Hasina’s time in power, following his 2018 interview with Al Jazeera, in which he spoke about police brutality, allegations of government corruption, and criticized the then-ruling party, the Awami League.

The Gaza-bound flotilla is carrying relief supplies for the besieged enclave, where Israeli forces have killed at least 66,000 Palestinians since October 2023. The true death toll is feared to be much higher, as many people have died due to injury and lack of access to healthcare and food — caused by the Israeli military’s destruction of most of Gaza’s infrastructure, and the blocking of medical aid and food.

Although several major Western countries, including the UK, France, and Australia, have officially recognized Palestine in recent weeks, they have not terminated their weapons sales to Israel or intervened to stop the daily deadly attacks and the blockade of Gaza — despite UN investigators concluding that Israel was committing genocide.

“The time for empty rhetoric is over. Diplomacy is a sham. People talking about recognition at a time when people are dying — it’s meaningless. It is time for action. The deaths need to stop. I can only do what I can. I, along with other citizens, are doing what world leaders have failed to do: We will be there, we will stop the siege, we will put our bodies on the line,” Alam said, as he departed to join the flotilla, whose vessels have already reported coming under suspected Israeli attacks in international waters at least a dozen times this month.

“For me, this is one way through which I can express the solidarity of the Bangladeshi people and the fact that the people of the majority world will not put up with this oppression, with this white supremacy, with this colonial rule.”

Alam has consistently condemned Israeli apartheid and the occupation of Palestine. He has also criticized Western governments and institutions for their silence or complicity.

He returned his honorary doctorate from the University of the Arts London in 2022, citing the institution’s partnerships with Israel and its efforts to stifle pro-Palestine student protests.

COPENHAGEN: Denmark will ban all civilian drone flights across the country this week to ensure security as Copenhagen hosts an EU summit gathering heads of government, the transport ministry said Sunday.
Mysterious drone sightings across Denmark since September 22 have prompted the closure of several airports, with Denmark hinting at possible Russian involvement, charges Moscow has rejected.
Copenhagen is to host an EU summit on Wednesday and Thursday.
"Denmark will host EU leaders in the coming week, where we will have extra focus on security. Therefore, from Monday to Friday, we will close the Danish airspace to all civilian drone flights," Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen said in a statement.
"In this way, we remove the risk that enemy drones can be confused with legal drones and vice versa," he added.
A violation of the ban can result in a fine or imprisonment for up to two years, the ministry said.
Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said in the same statement the purpose of the ban was to simplify the work of police and other authorities.
"The police are on heightened alert, and our authorities must use their forces where necessary to take care of Danes and our guests."
He said the ban would mean police would not have to "spend their efforts on civilian drones" that do not pose a problem to security and police.
Danish police said Saturday they had received more than 500 reports of drone flights from the Danish public, most of which were dismissed as being not of interest.