ENTRY DESCRIPTION
Bidhan Sarkar, 57 y.o. (city of Dacca). In December 2003, a street gang’s armed robbery in his shop. Despite Toffazal gave them all the money of his shop, the young criminals had beaten and disfigured him with one tank of acid. Now, Ahmed has disfigurement of more than 90% of his body. After several operations he can now move a little bit his arms, but he needs medical treatment twice at week in Acid Survivors Foundation Centre of Dacca.

I met Bidhan thanks the fundamental support of Acid Survivors Foundation, active in Dacca (Bangladesh) since 1999. The photographic sequence “Heroes”, one portrait – one story, is made by straight portraits showing the effects on the skin, realized inside the survivors’ s homes and accompanied with interviews.The choice to use the portrait is not fortuitous: my idea, energetically supported by Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) and all heroes that I met in several villages of Bangladesh, is overturn the goal of criminals and show the signs of violence as a symbol of courage. A kind of hard confront against a conservative and retrograde mentality that, scared by the “different”, prefer line up with oppressors, often unpunished. In my interviews with these people, I asked the story of every single acid attack and the successive phases, and someone told me also an ispirational message for other acid survivors or people in general. Thanks to the fundamental daily work of all staff members of ASF, self-esteem of heroes reinforced: is very important intervene not only on aesthetics rebuild, but above all on psychological perspective. Now, scars are no more hidden, but proudly exhibit as a symbol of a war against the human insanity. A message to contrast these criminal attacks and a hope for hundreds victims, women men and sometimes also child.

AUTHOR
Erberto Zani is an Italian photographer and journalist freelance, based between Parma (Italy) and Basel (Switzerland). Since 1998 until 2004 he worked as photographer in advertisement sector. After some years as journalist for a local newspaper, becomes independent since 2008. Most of his works are focused on human rights issues.

Books published:
Vado, vedo, racconto (ed. Il mio libro, 2022), Urban Visions (ed. Blurb, 2021), Elemental Fashion (ed. Blurb, 2019), Exodus (ed. Blurb, 2018), Kied Pologo (ed. Stamperia, 2017), Aftermath (ed. Stamperia, 2016), Black World (ed. Stamperia, 2015), Maha Kumbh Mela (ed. Stamperia, 2014), Tsiry (ed. Stamperia, 2014), Babanagar-Colombia (ed. Stamperia, 2013), Sahel (ed. Stamperia, 2012), Hope (ed. Stamperia, 2011), Haiti, fragments (ed. Stamperia, 2010), Drops of Life (ed. Stamperia, 2010), Da Borgo San Donnino al Passo della Cisa (ed. Publiprint, 2006).

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