Drik Picture Library, Bangladesh is an independent media organisation that was established in 1989. Its major areas of expertise are advocacy and awareness campaigns, production of communication materials and training. Drik is able to provide one-stop, cost-effective multimedia services through its seven departments: Drik Images, Photography, Publication, Audiovisual, DrikNEWS, Gallery & Event Management, and Research & Public Campaign.
Drik (the Sanskrit word for vision) Picture Library Limited was founded in Dhaka, Bangladesh by a small group of people who wanted to give photographers in developing countries a platform on which they could display their own images of the world they lived in. Moved to act in light of the fact that “Most of the images of the developing world are taken by white non-indigenous photographers, either in-country staff of the above organisations or commissioned professional photographers sent in-country,” Drik’s mission is to collect, sell and distribute high-quality images of the developing world by the developing world.
Drik is today an award-winning organisation that has made excellence in client services and challenging social inequality its twin objectives. As an independent media organisation, it has balanced its social goals with a high level of professionalism, ensuring a high quality of services at competitive terms, a balance it has maintained over its nearly 35-year history.
Set up on principles of social equality, it uses media to highlight issues relating to human rights, democracy and governance. Drik has trained working-class children, women, physically challenged people and people of minority groups. Drik finds creative expressions for highlighting discrimination and stigma by mainstreaming subjects. It derives its strength from the synergy between its various departments and its unique range of initiatives, i.e., ChobiMela – International Festival of Photography, RVJN (Rural Visual Journalism Network) and the complementary organisations, i.e. Majority World Photo Agency (registered in the UK), Pathshala South Asian Media Academy.
