For immediate release:

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Ahmed Abid’s ‘The Dreaming Vendors’ (…Ebong Shaupno Jatree) in Film Southasia 2011

‘The Dreaming Vendors’ […Ebong Shaupno Jatree] has been selected in the competitive section of the Film Southasia (FSA) 2011, the eighth edition of the biennial festival of South Asian documentaries (http://www.filmsouthasia.org). FSA is one of the most well-known documentary film festivals in Asia. It is a recognition Human Rights activist Ahmed Abid, the debut film maker who struggled to make the film for three years (2007-2010), a PhD candidate of Human Rights & Peace Studies based in Bangkok. The selection also indicates the spirit of Bangladeshi rights oriented documentaries as of the 385 films from around the world FAS selected to screen only 35 films for competition. Earlier Muktir Gaan (1997) by Catherine and Tareque Masud (recently passed away) and The Promised Land (2009) by Tanvir Mokammel won award in FSA.

‘The Dreaming Vendors’, is a 50.30 minute documentary by Abid on the issues of Bangladesh’s cross coastal trafficking, economic migration and lack of human security and issues surround the Rohingya ethnic vulnerable group. The Dreaming Vendors depicts an extra ordinary horrific journey of Kamal and Fazlu, their sufferings and the struggle for survival who only endeavored for a better life in the backdrop of lack of human security.

The premiere of the film took place on November 11, 2010 at Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT), Bangkok and Ambassador of Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Hossain inaugurated the screening as a special guest and panelist. Michael Miner, Regional Director, Southeast Asia Regional Cooperation in Human Development (SEARCH-CIDA), Phil Robertson, Deputy Director, Asia Division (Human Rights Watch), Musarrat H. Chandan, Executive Producer and Film maker were there on Q & A session as panelists. Around 200 registered guests were present there from different UN bodies, renowned media personalities, legal experts, member of different development agencies. Since the premiere the film attracted the attention of human rights community, scholars, students and film critics around the Asia region. Especially it was appreciated in the Third Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights (APCRR3) held in Bangkok at the Bangkok Rama Hotel from 25 to 27 November 2010 which was attended by 117 participants from 22 countries. It has been shown in Cambodia as well and becomes part of academic study in different school in South East Asia.

Mr. Abid would like to take this film to the mass people of Bangladesh and Asia who are subject and victims of trafficking and economic migration. For the same purpose he needs support from international and Bangladeshi Community at home and abroad. Mr. Abid is available for interviews and questions by phone +66846719735 or on Skype: ah.abid.

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