Born in : 1977

Language spoken : Bangla, English, Hindi, Urdu,

Akash’s passion for photography began in 1996. He attended the World Press Photo seminar in Dhaka for 3 years and graduated with a BA in Photojournalism from Pathshala, Dhaka. His work has been featured in over 45 major international publications including: Time, Sunday Times, Newsweek, Geo, Stern, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, Marie Claire, The Economist, The New Internationalist, Kontinente, Amnesty Journal, Courier International, PDN, Die Zeit, Days Japan,and Sunday Telegraph of London.

In 2002 he became the first Bangladeshi to be selected for the World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass in the Netherlands. In 2004 he received the Young Reporters Award from the Scope Photo Festival in Paris, again being the first Bangladeshi to receive the honour. In 2005 he was awarded Best of Show at the Center for Fine Art Photography’s international competition in Colorado, USA. In 2006 he was awarded World Press Photo award and released his first book “First Light”.

In 2007 again he became the first Bangladeshi to be selected for the 30 Emerging Photographers (PDN 30) by Photo District News Magazine, USA.

In addition to assignment work, Akash teaches his techniques and approach to "Street Photography" through online photography courses at The Compelling Image.

Awards:

1) Kindernothilfe Media Award, Germany. 2008

2) Honorable mention from 19th annual Gordon Parks Photography Competition, USA. 2008

3) Honorable mention from Photographer’s Forum annual photo competition, USA. 2008

4) Second place from the Gallery Art and Design annual photo competition, USA. 2008

5) Bronze award in Economic, Science & Technology News Stories from China International Press photo Competition.2008

6) First place in the 19th annual Gordon Parks Photography Competition, USA. 2007

7) Second place in UNICEF Photo of the Year competition, Germany. 2007

8) First Place/Golden award from Asia Press Photo Competition, China. 2007

9) Selected as one of the 30 Emerging Photographers (PDN 30) by Photo District News Magazine, USA. 2007

10) Third place from Days Japan international photography competition, Japan. 2007

11) World Press Photo Award, The Netherlands. 2006

12) First place from Photographer’s Forum annual photo competition, USA. 2006

13) Second place from the Gallery of Art and Design annual photo competition, USA. 2006

14) Akash’s photography book, “First Light”, receives both American Graphic Design, and Creativity 36 design awards, USA. 2006

15) First place (Total five awards) from the Friend of the Earth photo competition, The Netherlands. 2006

16) First Place/Golden Award from Asia Press photo competition, China. 2006

17) Bronze and Honorable mention from the China International Press photo competition, China. 2006

18) “Best of show” from the Center of Fine Art Photography, Colorado, USA. 2005

19) Young reporter Award from Scoop Photo Festival of Photojournalism, Paris. 2004

20) First and second place in Photojournalism from Popular Photography’s annual photo competition USA, 2004

21) World Press Photo Joop Swart Master Class, The Netherlands. 2002

22) Humanity photo award, China. 2002

Exhibitions:

1. Solo Exhibition/Book Launch: “First Light” at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts. Dhaka, Bangladesh. 16.04.06

2. Photo presentation in FREELENS annual meetings 2007 at the Museum for Work. Hamburg, Germany. 20.04.2007

3. Solo exhibition “Living on the Edge of Society”; the gallery Kunstraum. Potsdam, Berlin, Germany. 27.4.2007

4. Solo exhibition “Made in Bangladesh” in the regional court building, Baden Baden. In collaboration with the Justice Ministry, Germany. 03.05.2007

5. Photo presentation "Living on the Edge" in the auditorium of the Bonn University. In collaboration with Orient Asia. Bonn, Germany. 21.05.2007

6. Photo presentation "Dangerous Photos" in the auditorium of the Gruner+Jahr publishing house. In collaboration with GEO and STERN Magazines. Germany. 24.05.2007

7. Photo presentation "Bangladesh” on the Cap San Diego ship. In collaboration with Amnesty International. Hamburg, Germany. 26. 05.2007

8. Exhibition in the Press House of the Government. Berlin, Germany. 13.06.2007

9. Solo exhibition “Made in Bangladesh" in the gallery of "Anti war House" in Sievershausen, Germany. 16.09.2007

10. Solo Exhibition “Living on the Fringe ” at the Der Spigel magazine gallery. Hamburg, Germany. 01.10.2007

11 Solo exhibitions “The Children from the Edge of the World” at the Hanes-office. Brussels, Belgium. 25.10.2007

12. Solo Exhibition “The people from the edge of the world” at the Town Hall Gallery. Castrop-Rauxel, Germany. 04.11.2007

13. Solo exhibition "Dhaka- Hamburg" at the Town Hall Gallery. Hamburg, Germay. 09.12.2007

14. Solo exhibition “My Country, My People” at the Evangelische Stadtkirche Offenburg organized by Evangelische Stadtkirchengemeinde, Pfarrer Peter Scherhans. Offenburg, Germany. 16.12.2007

Jury:

1. Second annual Friends of the Earth International Photo Competition. The Netherlands 2007

2. Third annual Friends of the Earth International Photo Competition. The Netherlands 2008