Art and photography installations calling for the release of prominent Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam have gone up around the Valley as Kathmandu prepares to welcome several heads of state, including Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for the fourth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

The installations, put up by photo.circle, display Alam’s quotes and photographs. Alam, a photographer, writer and activist, was arrested from his home in Dhaka on Aug 5, following an interview he gave to Aljazeera in which he was critical of the Bangladeshi government. Alam has been charged with “spreading propaganda and false information against the government.”

Calls to free Alam are being made around the world by journalists, academics, human rights actors and organisations such as Amnesty International, Committee to Project Journalists (CPJ) and the Pulitzer Center among hundreds of others.

Most recently, Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen issued a statement in support of Alam. “Freedom of expression, including through photojournalism, is extremely important for democracy.  We have good reason to admire the work that Shahidul Alam has been doing with great skill and courage for many years. His work should receive praise and appreciation, rather than being ground for harsh treatment.”  Sen said in the statement.