Witness to Uprising

Jibon Ahmed, a photojournalist, witnessed the July uprising from the front lines, on the streets. The turbulent days of July 2024 were captured through his lens; images that serve both as a historical record and a powerful testimony to the brutal conflict between state violence and the masses' resistance. Jibon Ahmed’s role in this mass movement extended far beyond his professional duties as a photojournalist. Defying the bluster of state machinery, he risked his life to bring the truth to light. He was shot, forced to live a displaced and precarious life for days on end, and became not just an observer but a participant deeply embedded in the movement. His unwavering commitment to truth kept him on the streets even after the uprising. Just like during those turbulent days, his camera continued to document what followed—the aftermath, the struggles of the injured, the grief of the bereaved. The significance of this book as a document of the uprising lies not only in Jibon Ahmed’s photographs, but also in his diary entries, personal accounts, and raw emotional reflections, which have been compiled in this book both in Bangla and English. Witness to the Uprising presents both the uprising itself, which emerged as a pivotal turning point in Bangladesh’s history of protest, and the slow dissipation of the dreams of a new future that had begun to take shape in its wake. Through images and words, the book brings it all to life for the reader.