A Rolls-Royce and a lens: Rupert Grey’s 30-year tribute to Bangladesh

In 1992, just over twenty years after Bangladesh emerged from a bloody war of independence, Rupert Grey arrived in Dhaka in a Rolls-Royce. The arrival was peculiar—almost cinematic, quite literally. That journey, and Grey's enduring love for Bangladesh, would later be documented through photographs and an award-winning documentary, 'Romantic Road', produced by Sharon Stone.

On 23rd January, Rupert attended a book talk hosted by Bookworm Bangladesh in Gulshan's Justice Shahabuddin Park to promote his book, 'Homage to Bangladesh'. There, he had an engaging session discussing his experiences on how he slowly came to develop this intimate relationship with Bangladesh. 

Several long-time acquaintances were present, including renowned photographer Shahidul Alam, who also wrote the foreword to the book. During the discussion, Grey shared an anecdote about how he first met Alam—an encounter that would later shape some of his earliest experiences in Bangladesh.

At the event, Grey was in conversation with Imran Rahman, Professor of Finance at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. Homage to Bangladesh was presented as a powerful photographic tribute that challenges long-standing international stereotypes. Since its independence in 1971, Bangladesh has often been framed through narratives of poverty and crisis. Grey's work offers a counter-narrative—one shaped by lived experience, sustained engagement, and deep respect for the country and its people.

A British photographer and writer, Grey is also a leading libel and copyright lawyer. His connection with Bangladesh began when he was invited by the British Council to attend Chobi Mela, an experience that proved formative and redirected his creative practice.

When asked whether the book should be read as a memoir or a historical account, Grey told TBS, "I think the truth is this is more of a personal response to Bangladesh. I'm not a historian, and I've never done any proper research. Obviously, when I write about things, I want to get them right, so I have done some research. But this is really a token, or a testament, rather than an account or a history."

Grey recalled that when he first arrived in Bangladesh in 1992, a sign at the airport read: "Welcome to Bangladesh—before the tourists get here." "They still haven't," he remarked wryly.

To Grey, Bangladesh felt underexplored. In 1992, taking a six-month break from his legal practice, he set out to travel through a dozen countries, with Bangladesh as the final stop. He began the journey in Chennai and arrived in Bangladesh in a Rolls-Royce—one he says still runs "like a brand-new car." At the time, he had no idea what the Sundarbans were, nor any real sense of what Bangladesh looked like.

His decision to travel to the Sundarbans led to an unexpected encounter with Shahidul Alam—on a boat on the Buriganga.

In the Sundarbans, they met a man known as Major Zia. Richard's family and Shahidul Alam spent a week there with him, an experience they still recall vividly.

The book draws from images taken during that journey. It features portraits of a wide range of people, from customs officers to working-class men and women; from the congested streets of Dhaka to the dense forests of the Sundarbans. Through these photographs, it attempts to capture the country's vast diversity as seen through the lens of a white outsider.

He first came as a London-based lawyer carrying three Nikon FM2 cameras. Three decades and many journeys later, he now identifies primarily as a photographer—albeit one with a useful legal background. 

The book traces Grey's long love affair with Bangladesh, including an epic transcontinental journey through India to Chobi Mela.  Reflecting on the festival, Grey said the internationally acclaimed photography platform stands apart for its ability to challenge dominant Western narratives by placing Bangladeshi and Global South photographers at the centre of visual storytelling.

"What we found particularly interesting was this: photographers usually look at Bangladesh through the lens of colonialism," said Shahidul Alam. "But here was someone willing to question that position, willing to see Bangladesh differently, and who has developed such a sincere, personal relationship with the country. That, for us, was genuinely striking."

Grey also reflected on how time reshaped his understanding of Bangladesh. He said his connection did not come from brief visits, but from returning repeatedly, meeting people, and listening to their stories. Over time, Bangladesh stopped being merely a place he photographed and became a place he felt deeply connected to.

Homage to Bangladesh is, at its core, the result of a relationship built over time. Rather than documenting a single visit or moment, the book reflects decades of return, observation, and engagement. 

In a media environment often shaped by urgency and crisis, Grey's photographs suggest a slower way of seeing—one rooted in familiarity rather than spectacle. What emerges is not an idealised portrait, but a Bangladesh encountered through persistence, curiosity, and respect.