Pinu Rahman wins grand prize at HIPA

For the first time, a Bangladeshi photographer has won the Grand Prize at the Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA). Pinu Rahman, an amateur photographer from Bangladesh, won the Grand Prize in the “Family” theme at the 15th edition of the competition.

Based in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), HIPA is an international photography competition, and the Grand Prize is its highest honour.

The award was announced at a ceremony at the Museum of the Future in Dubai at around 8:00 pm local time on Tuesday. Pinu Rahman received the award for his photograph titled “Under the Same Sky”.

The photograph shows five members of a family sleeping beneath the open sky inside a room in Korail slum, which had been devastated by fire.

Through the image, he conveys a powerful humanitarian message: even after losing their homes, possessions and shelter, the bonds and love that hold a family together remain unbroken.

Pinu Rahman expressed his delight at receiving the international recognition. He said, “I have always loved telling people's stories.

Representing Bangladesh on such a prestigious international platform and winning this award is an immense source of joy and pride for me. This achievement has further strengthened my visual journey and my commitment to storytelling through photography.”

A banker by profession, Pinu Rahman works as an Assistant General Manager in the Cyber Security Department of Rupali Bank. He grew up in Pirojpur and completed his postgraduate studies in the Department of Botany at the University of Dhaka.

The concept of “Family” generally encompasses relationships, love and the stories of people journeying through life together. For this year's competition, HIPA encouraged participants to explore the concept of family from a broader perspective.

The theme offered an opportunity to discover stories of mutual connections and unity not only among humans but also within the plant kingdom, mineral structures and various elements shaped over time.

Pinu Rahman has also received several other notable international photography awards this year. He won Bangladesh's National Award at the Sony World Photography Awards 2026.

He also secured first prize at the Siena Creative Photo Awards 2026 in Italy for his photograph titled “The Golden Burden”. The photograph depicts an elderly jute worker carrying a bundle of jute on his head while working.

At the same edition, he received “Highly Commended” recognition at the Siena International Photo Awards for his photograph titled “Bad Morning in a Burnt Valley”.

Alongside the main “Family” theme, this year's Hamdan International Photography Award featured four additional categories: Sports Photography, Portfolio (Storytelling), General and a newly introduced category, ‘Dreams Through AI’.

The main theme of the 14th edition of HIPA was “Power”. Italian photographer Gianluca Gianferrari won the Grand Prize in that edition with a photograph capturing a volcanic eruption in the Enna region of Sicily, Italy.

Previously, in 2017, Bangladeshi photographer KM Asad won first prize in the “The Moment” theme at the eighth edition of HIPA. In addition, 13 other Bangladeshi photographers have received awards in various categories and special recognition over the years.

Pinu Rahman's achievement has once again brought international recognition to Bangladesh's photography scene at one of the world's prominent photography competitions.