human of worth – GMB AKASH

A Torn Dictionary, a Second-Hand Camera, and a Thousand Untold Stories!

From the very beginning of my journey, I was captivated by the images of Salgado, James Nachtwey, Reza Deghati, Alex Webb, David Alan Harvey, Cartier-Bresson — masters who told human stories with truth and soul.

Many of them used Leica. But for me, it was never just about the camera. It was about what they saw — the dignity, the depth, the human connection. Leica became a symbol of that kind of storytelling. Quietly, I dreamed of holding one someday.

But my beginning was far from any dream.

I started with a used Yashica FX-3 — my father’s old family camera. I didn’t even know photography could be a profession. No mentor. No internet. No books. Just an English manual — and I barely understood the language.

When I couldn’t afford a translator, I bought a torn, second-hand dictionary and taught myself both English and photography. Word by word. Frame by frame. With only hunger, heart, and hope.

I had one 50mm lens. Later, I borrowed gear from anyone who trusted me.

I gave tuition to buy film. Skipped meals to save for processing.

I shot weddings and fashion — not because I loved it, but to fund the work I truly cared about: telling the stories of people the world often overlooks.

At night, I turned our bathroom into a darkroom.

I developed rolls under red light until sunrise.

I spent years walking through slums, garment factories, brickfields, train stations, refugee camps, and forgotten alleys.

I entered brothels, disaster zones, hidden corners of cities, and remote villages — the kind of places people were too afraid to go.

I sat with people society ignored. I didn’t just photograph them — I listened.

It wasn’t easy. My fingers ached when I couldn’t shoot. My chest felt heavy.

Photography wasn’t what I wanted to do — it was what I needed to do.

And now, after 25 years, I’ve finally bought a Leica.

It’s not just a camera.

It’s a symbol of everything I’ve lived through — every roll, every story, every step.

This isn’t a story about gear.

It’s a story about purpose.

About belief, compassion, and never giving up.

— GMB Akash

Gifted 100 Bicycles, Countless Dreams Saved: Empowering Underprivileged Students for a Brighter Future.

Dear friends,

By the grace of God, last week I was able to distribute 10 more bicycles among 10 underprivileged students.

Alhamdullilah, with these 10, a total of 100 bicycle distributions has been completed till now.

They had to walk 10-12 kilometers far from their villages. These students often face significant challenges without access to a bicycle. They have to walk long distances, which not only makes them tired but also consumes a significant amount of time. This leads to fatigue and reduced energy for studying.

Furthermore, walking exposes them to safety risks, as they may have to traverse potentially unsafe routes. In addition to safety concerns, adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain or extreme heat, can further impede their ability to attend school regularly. Limited access to schooling reduces their future prospects and may push girls towards early marriages.

Indeed, a bicycle can be a lifeline, helping them overcome all the challenges and they can pursue their education without any hindrance.

I will continue to gift bicycles to those in need, Inshallah.

Thank you all my friends for your kind support and humanity! Without all your love and support I probably couldn’t go this far every day.

Love and light

_GMB Akash

From Darkness to Dreams: Farzana’s Inspiring Journey.

Dear friends,

Many of you may remember Farzana Akhter, a brilliant student whose serial number was 5 out of 200 students in her school. She achieved this remarkable result by studying on her grandmother’s dark balcony for the last six years, with no electricity or any study facilities! In addition to her academic challenges her greedy uncle was trying to evict them there too.

I’m happy to share that Farzana achieved an excellent result with an ‘A’ grade in her SSC exams and has been admitted to college in 2023. Last one year since last October, I’ve been covering all her study expense monthly and I will as long as she wants to continue her studies.

She was preparing for her SSC exam in 2022 and as her helpless mother were struggling to manage the big amount of money for her form fillup, luckily Farzana came to my notice as like my other hundreds of helpless students whom I help with their Form fillup money for participating in their examinations.

Her story brought tears to my eyes immediately. By the time she shared, it had been already afternoon, and her family was still starving because they didn’t even have a handful of rice to cook.

By the grace of God, I was able to take their responsibilities and build a house for them.

To build the house the place needed to be filled with soil. We made two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. The earthen floor is paved with cement too. You will be happy to know that I have also arranged some furniture like a bed for them and a table chair for her study, and a rake for clothes. I also arranged electricity for their house.

In total it cost almost 2 lakh taka or 2000$.

I also helped her mother financially, and she was able to flourish in her business of making bamboo basket.

Farzana wants to be a barrister. I believe she will become one. I also believe, getting a little help can change her life and can fulfill her dreams.

My friends, thank you so much for all your support. Without your support and kind contribution, this was not possible. Please keep me in your prayers so that, I may continue my mission to change the lives of helpless people in their need.

Sending my Love and prayers for everyone…

Love and Light!

_GMB Akash

‘Human of worth’

For some people life is full of special challenges. Their lives ensure them not to miss a bit of it. Standing in a place which is more minimalist with just few machines and the machines men, where there is one slow fan, one dirty window and air full of dust, smoke and fuel can immediately let you feel ‘suffocation’. Those compact factories create an illusion on me with some simple, but genius strength, ‘Artists creates masterpieces, and worker creates hand pieces, only common is the dedication’.

These small factories has barely one window and that is the only savior as at least light has a way to come into and smoke gets small chance to take a break. Sounds of continual hammering, sounds of all old machines and workers favorite music usually make the place stand out.

To live a life, to feed a family and originally to creating something is their passion behind setting in the hot seat. The economy that runs in air-conditioned chambers are running finest as there are thousands hands in the backyards which hardly stop. These workers are making every small thing that needs to construct a well build society in this era. They make things that are quite often unnoticeable and emergence like, locks of houses, pipe, tap, kitchen materials, metal holder, wire, switch board etc and etc. They might never know how it feels to sweat in air-conditioned cabinet and worrying to meet deadlines. But they know how to make 300-500 master pieces in bare hand with a smiling face. Their weekly wage which varies on production may be the highest 2000 tk for a week for producing 300 item daily multiply 7 days equal to 2100 items may not seem poor wage in their eyes but the fact is they are spending all for their families and happy on it.

These workers do not have any dress code but at the end of the day their attire is same. They are black-grey skinned, dusky-dirty craftsmen of an unknown factory. Their self-made musk and goggles speaks loud how much they care about their safety and under caution of danger every day.

Their music of life never stops. They dance in the one hour break of lunch stepping with the raw Hindi or Bangla songs. So the continuous bits of the music and smiles will make you nervous. How a person can listen to music and greet a stranger after working 14 hours in such a bloody place? Does really they knows any mantra of living happily ever after so much struggles? They are human of worth. Human of worth for all the good will they’ve given to the society without expecting name, fame and money.

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