Taslima Akhter

Taslima Akhter (born 1974) is a Bangladeshi activist and photographer. She is a graduate of Dhaka University, as well as the photography school Pathshala. She is a member of several activist organizations. While documenting the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, she took a photograph of a woman and a man who had died in each other's arms, which became emblematic of the incident.

Biography

Taslima Akhter was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 1974. Akhter is a graduate of Dhaka University, with Master's degrees in science and in public administration. While at the university, she was a member of the Bangladesh Student's Federation.

Akhter is a member of the women's organization Biplobi Nari Sanghati and the Emancipatory Social Democratic activist group Gana Sanghati Andolan. She is also a coordinator of the Garments Sramik Sangathan (garment worker's union). Akhter was unable to identify the subjects of the photograph despite much effort. This photograph, known variously as the "Eternal Embrace", and the "Final Embrace", received widespread critical attention and multiple awards, and became emblematic of the incident, in which 1100 people died. Best Photographer Award from the 5th Dali International Photography Exhibition in China (2013). Begum Rokeya Padak (2024).