Shahidul’s Sea Sacrifice: Laptop Lost to Protect Lives Before Israeli Capture
Dr. Shahidul Alam, the award-winning photojournalist and founder of Drik Gallery, threw his laptop and mobile phone into the sea moments before being detained by Israeli forces while aboard a flotilla bound for Gaza. He disclosed this during an exclusive conversation with Taisir Mahmood, General Secretary of the London Bangla Press Club.
The internationally acclaimed photographer, who was named among Time magazine’s Persons of the Year in 2018, said he made the painful decision to protect sensitive communications and documents stored on his devices.
“It was very difficult, but I had no choice,” Dr. Alam said. “My laptop and phone contained records of message exchanges and documents involving many important individuals. If they had found them, those people might have been falsely implicated.”
Dr. Alam was part of the first unauthorized maritime humanitarian mission in recent times to reach within 130 kilometers of the Gaza coast. He was the only Bangladeshi participant in the mission. The incident was detailed in a Facebook post by the editor of the London-based Desh Weekly on November 1, recounting his discussion with Dr. Alam.
According to Dr. Alam, as their flotilla neared the 130-kilometer point from Gaza, Israeli forces arrived by helicopter and seized control of the vessels. “When the helicopter approached, I threw my laptop and mobile phone into the sea,” he said.
Despite his precautions, Dr. Alam was captured along with over 50 human rights activists. They were imprisoned in a facility deep within the Israeli desert. Authorities demanded that the detainees sign a document stating they had “entered Israel illegally.”
Dr. Alam refused to sign, asserting, “I did not enter illegally; rather, you brought us here illegally.” After a heated exchange, the statement was amended before he signed it. The activists were released 72 hours later.
He said widespread protests erupted both in Bangladesh and abroad following his detention. “Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Tarique Rahman also issued statements. Altogether, this created pressure—they could not dare to hold me longer,” Dr. Alam remarked.
He emphasized the power of resistance, saying, “Whenever you protest and stand up against injustice, the oppressor becomes weak. If you remain silent, they will overpower you. So we must continue to protest—there is no alternative to resistance.”
The conversation between Dr. Alam and Taisir Mahmood took place on the morning of Tuesday, October 29, in an office in East London. Mahmood described Dr. Alam as “a very resolute man,” noting his simple appearance and modest demeanor.
“At one event, when he was introduced as the chief guest, he immediately said, ‘I actually don’t like to be within the framework of chief or special guests. I feel comfortable staying as an ordinary person,’” Mahmood recalled.
