Sayeeda Khanam, the first female professional photographer of Bangladesh, passed away early Tuesday. She was 82.

Sayeeda, the nation award-winning photographer, breathed her last around 3:00am at her Banani residence in the capital.

Photographer Joya Karim confirmed the news in a status posted on her Facebook page.

Family sources said that the photographer had been suffering from old age complications for long.

Born in Pabna on December 29, 1937, she began her career as a photographer in Begum in 1956.

She worked as a photographer with the filmmaker Satyajit Ray in three of his films. She also did portraits of figures such as Queen Elizabeth, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Mother Teresa, Indira Gandhi, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Satyajit Ray.

The photographer captured many photographs and events of the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971.

Sayeeda Khanam received the prestigious Ekushey Padak for his contribution in photography in 2019. 

State minister for cultural affairs KM Khalid has expressed his condolence at the death of Sayeeda Khanam.

BDST: 1118 HRS, AUG 18, 2020
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