EU, French Embassy, Drik hold exhibition on impact of death penalty

The Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Embassy of France in Dhaka and Drik Picture Library, hosted a thought-provoking photo exhibition titled “Living on Death Row: How People and Families in Bangladesh Cope with Long-term Solitary Confinement” on 10 October 2025 to mark the European and World Day Against the Death Penalty.

The exhibition, featuring the work of Bangladeshi documentary photographer, Mosfiqur Rahman Johan, sheds light on the human stories behind the death penalty, exploring the profound psychological, social, and emotional impact of long-term solitary confinement on prisoners and their families, reports a press release.

It highlights how wrongful convictions and inadequate access to justice continue to affect lives across Bangladesh, offering a deeply personal perspective on a global human rights issue.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Michael Miller, ambassador and head of the delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, reaffirmed the EU’s unequivocal opposition to the death penalty in all cases and under all circumstances.

“More than two-thirds of countries worldwide have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice, showing that justice and human dignity can prevail. Evidence shows that the application of the death penalty does not act as a deterrent to crime. It can risk, however, the execution of innocent people, as this exhibition well illustrates,” observed Miller.

The European Union and its member states, including France, have long been at the forefront of the global movement to abolish the death penalty.

Newly appointed French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet recalled that France is at the forefront of the fight for the universal abolition of death penalty.

“We remain committed to ensuring that justice repairs lives and does not destroy them. France will be the host of the next ‘World Congress against the Death Penalty’, which will take place in Paris in July next year. This very day, a national ceremony takes place in Paris to honour the memory of Robert Badinter, the former minister of justice who, in 1981 was instrumental in the abolition of the death penalty in France. His remains are transferred today to the Panthéon, a monument where the greatest men and women of France rest in peace.”

Through diplomatic engagement, development cooperation, and cultural initiatives, the EU continues to advocate for a justice system that upholds human rights and respects human dignity.

The exhibition forms part of the EU’s broader commitment to supporting human rights and criminal justice reform in Bangladesh.

By focusing on the lived experiences of those wrongfully convicted, it seeks to open dialogue on fairness, compassion, and the role of justice in protecting the most fundamental of all rights, the right to life.

Among others Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam was also present there. The exhibition will remain open to visitors till 19 October 2025, everyday 3:00 – 8:00 pm at Drik Gallery, Dhaka, offering an important space for reflection and discussion on the human cost of capital punishment and the need for reform.