A wave of political cartoons has swept the nation, reflecting the surge in political awareness and activism, particularly ignited by the recent anti-discrimination student movement.
For years, cartoonists faced a climate of fear and self-censorship, hesitant to tackle sensitive political issues. However, the recent upsurge in civic engagement has emboldened artists to openly express their views.
The first wave of this artistic expression came directly from the cartoonists. While established artists contributed their works, newcomers enthusiastically joined in, using both personal social media platforms and news outlets to share their creations.
.png)
Some artists published their cartoons under their own names, while others opted for anonymity, allowing their works to spread rapidly across the internet through countless shares.
To celebrate this moment of artistic and political expression, over 300 cartoons have been curated for an exhibition organized by the Bangladesh Cartoonist Association, in collaboration with Drik and earki. The exhibition runs from August 16 to August 23 at DrikPath Bhavan, located at 16 Shukrabad, Panthapath, from 3pm to 8pm daily.
The exhibition was inaugurated on August 16 at 5pm, with Umama Fatema, one of the coordinators of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, leading the opening ceremony.
Though it is impossible to showcase every cartoon created during the student movement, the exhibition offers a powerful snapshot of that vibrant period of activism, reminding visitors of the role art plays in expressing political resistance and resilience.
