The Wings of Vibrance: Dr. Alim's journey into the world of birds

The sky was glowing with hues of red and yellow. The sun was setting in the Sundarbans. Abdus Samad Alim is in a boat during this time, slowly drifting down a canal. He heard birds chirping from afar, that's when he saw a Lesser Adjutant, silently standing on one side of the canal. Alim pointed his camera at the bird and clicked. 

Alim primarily photographs birds, his clicks tell stories of their joys, sadness, restlessness, intimacy and their daily activities. He is addicted to capturing these moments, and spotting the various species in the country and abroad.

Alim's photos were recently exhibited in a solo exhibition, The Wings of Vibrance, at Edge Gallery. Featuring 89 images of 65 species from his collection from 2011 to 2022, it was his first solo show. Alim captured these images at various places in Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore, Maldives and India. 

By profession, Alim is a doctor, a specialist in Neurology, and a businessman. Alim's interest in photography grew after being inspired by his daughter. 

"In 2011, my daughter took a photography course in school. Then I bought my daughter a camera, and after seeing her for a few days, I too became interested in photography. Since then I have started wildlife photography, especially bird photography," he said. 

A book, titled The Wings of Vibrance Volume –1, was also launched alongside the show. Alim organised the exhibition and published his book to create awareness about birds amongst the youth. 

"Birds are a part of our ecosystem. Without being close to nature, one cannot grasp how much we are putting them at risk day after day. If birds don't survive, our nature will not either," he said. "Being a photographer, and an admirer of birds, this is my attempt at making people aware." 

Alim's love for nature and travelling was ingrained in him from a very early age. His father, Prof. Abdul Alim, was the Chairman of the Forest Department at the University of Chattogram and the Chief Conservator of the Forests of Bangladesh during the early 80s. Alim would often accompany him to visit beautiful natural locations. His father used to say to him, "If you love nature, you will find beauty everywhere." And this statement holds true for Alim; he has an eye to see the exquisite magnificence of mother nature. 

The Wings of Vibrance was inaugurated on Saturday, 24 December, and was open to all until 25 December. The show was inaugurated by the Ambassador of South Korea to Bangladesh HE Lee Jeong Kyun. The book was launched by Education Minister Dipu Moni on Sunday.