Shahria Sharmin is a freelance photographer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. After doing her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka, Shahria pursued her further study at Pathshala South Asian Media Academy in Bangladesh where she became fascinated with the social history of photography and the evolution of identity, sexuality and gender in relationship to material culture. ‘Call me Heena’ Shahria’s ongoing project, takes her interest in photography’s connection with identity to explore and express the diversity of human experience. In 2014, she was named the second place winner of the Alexia Foundation student grant for her project, ‘Call me Heena’. The same work has been selected in Open Society Foundation, Moving Walls 23 group exhibition in 2015. Other awards and honors have included being recognized by International Photographer of the Year IPOTY and Magnum Photography Award 2017. ‘Call me Heena’ was Shortlisted of the first ever Women Photograph grant 2017 in conjunction with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
Awards
2014 Alexia Foundation, 2nd Place Student Grant
2014 FotoVisura, Top Finalist
2014 Pride Photo, 2nd Place under the category, “Getting Closer
2014 LGBTE International Art, The Best Photographer Prize
2014 Mosco Foto Award MIFA, 2nd place in life style category,
2014 Accademia Apulia UK , 2nd place
2015 Renaissance Photography Prize , Finalist
2016 International Photographer of the Year IPOTY
2016 Honorable mention in the Exposure Award
2017 Magnum Photography Award 2017, Juror’s Pick
2017 Women Photograph grant in conjunction with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis, Shortlisted
2018 IPA Documentary Award, Finalist
2019 World Press Photo Joop Swart Master Class
2019 LensCulture B&W Awards, Finalist
2019 World Press Photo 6X6 Global Talent from the Asia
2021 Benrido Award by Hariban Award
Exhibitions
Collective
2011 “Self-discovery” at Chobi Mela VI
2011 BPS 10th national photography competition, Bangladesh
2012 iiupe, Photography Exhibition, Bangladesh
2014 FotoVisura, Brisbane
2014 Photissima Art Fair, Turin
2014 Internazionale d’Arte LGBTE II S.A.L.I.G.IA, Turin
2014 Pride Photo Award, Old Church, Oudekerksplein 23, Amsterdam
2014 Obscura Festival, Penang
2015 London College of Communication
2015 Getty image gallery, London
2015 Beijing Photo Festival
2015 Open Society Foundation, Moving walls, New York
2015 Angkor Photo Festival, Slideshow, Cambodia
2017 Chobi Mela, Bangladesh
2017 Auckland Festival of Photography
2018 Singapore International Photography Festival SIPF
2018 Photo Kathmandu
2019 IPF – Hyderabad
2021 Format International Photography Festival
2021 Bangladesh art week, Dubai
2022 F3 – freiraum für fotografie, Berlin, Germany
Individual
2016 Hivos, Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries, Netherland
2017 Hivos, Old Lutheran Church, Singel 411 / Corner Spui, Amsterdam
Selected Press
2014 Huffpost Review
2014 Feature Shoot Review
2014 Mail Online Review
2014 Imagination
2014 Mutantspace
2015 lens Blog – The New York Times Review
2015 Monovisions
2015 abc News
2015 International Photography Magazine
2017 Chobi Mela
2017 BBC Culture
2017 Caravan Magazine
2017 Éditions Jentayu
2017 Wino Review
2018 Hyperallergic Review
2018 DhakaTribune
2019 kwerfeldein
2019 dodho magazine
2019 Witness
2020 Wordt Vervolgd – Amnesty International
2020 Neocha magazine
2020 Foto Femme United
2020 6Mois
