Written by David Brewer

The photographic exhibition of Tibetans in exile, closed by the Bangladesh government, is being taken down as an act of protest against political interference. Organisers say they are affronted by pressure from the government and from China to cancel the event. Having made their point through a live web stream, staff at Drik, where the event was hosted, say the images are now being removed. Police have grouped outside the gates.

Shahidul Alam, the director of Drik, who hosted the event, says he is angry about political interference in what should have been an example of cultural freedom of expression.

He had come under pressure from both the Chinese and Bangladesh governments.

"We are particularly affronted at being asked by officials of a foreign state, to cancel the exhibition.

"We strongly believe that governments should have the courage to present their views at cultural platforms and to try and convince people by arguing their case, in other words, acting democratically, rather than using intimidation and heavy-handed tactics," he said.

Alam thanked the public the media for being present at the street opening, for demonstrating against governmental interference, and for showing their show.

The photojournalism event had been organised by Students for a Free Tibet with support from Drik.

The exhibition, entitled "Tibet 1949 - 2009" was due to begin on Sunday evening 1 November, and was to be opened by Professor Muzaffar Ahmed, Chairman, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

However, police urged the director of Drik, Shahidul Alam, to cancel the event. He refused and they barred the gates to the public.

Organisers then set up a live stream from a webcam outside the Drik compound where the exhibition was to be staged, and went ahead with the planned opening ceremony. Later they streamed a guided tour of the exhibits online.

Alam asks the police to leave - image courtesy of Drik

Tibetan exhibition pictures taken down - image courtesy of Drik

Police on standby outside Drik - image courtesy of Drik

China expresses concerns

Alam says he was first alerted to unease about the exhibition during a visit from Qian Kaifu, from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bangladesh, who asked him to cancel the exhibition, suggesting that the Bangladesh-China relationship would be affected if the show went ahead.

Alam says he was offered partner opportunities in China in return, but reminded Mr Kaifu that Drik was an independent gallery, unconnected with the government of Bangladesh. He has blogged about the encounter.

According to Alam, the visit was the evening before he received a phone call from the ministry of culture saying "China is a friend, you mustn’t show pictures of the Dalai Lama."  That call was followed up by the visit from special branch police hours before the event was due to open.

A pictoral view of Tibetans in exile

A publicity poster for the event - image courtesy of Drik

According to the publicity for the event, the photo exhibition intended, "to portray, in whatever small fraction, the journey of Tibetans from their homeland to exile."

Invitations sent out by Drik highlighted the continuing effort by Tibetans to achieve independence from China.

"The fate of Tibet’s unique national, cultural, environmental and religious identity continues to be seriously threatened and manipulated by the Chinese Government today,"the publicity continued.

Independent media

The Drik network was set up 20 years ago to encourage local photographers and journalists to report on Asia in a way that showed more than the typical disaster and war reporting often delivered by Western media.

It is independent of all outside and government agencies and continues to run a successful media agency with clients worldwide, as well as educational and training facilities for the region's journalists.