During the mass uprising of students and general people in Revolution 2024, memes and cartoons became a powerful force, using sharp satire and bold imagery to capture the essence of resistance and unite the masses.
To celebrate these cartoons, Drik Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition titled “Cartoon Ey Bidroho (Revolution in Cartoons) ,” organized by the Bangladesh Cartoonist Association, Drik, and e-arki.
The exhibition, which runs until August 23, showcases an array of cartoons, installations, and video art that vividly document the mass uprising of 2024.
Curated by ASM Rezaur Rahman, the exhibition reflects the pivotal role cartoonists have played in Bangladesh's history.
“In all movements in Bangladesh, cartoonists have played a key role. We have seen many powerful cartoons during the 1990s uprising,” Rezaur Rahman said.
“Except for a handful of cartoonists, the community was silent for a long period. The reason behind that is a culture of fearmongering. There were many restrictions, and they were forced to become silent for many reasons,” he added.
However, the Revolution 2024 marked a resurgence.
“Now we are seeing that young cartoonists led the movement from the community. This exhibition features cartoons produced during the mass uprising. We can get a perspective of the entire period through these cartoons,” Rezaur said.
He emphasized that as the nation dreams of building a new future, this exhibition serves as a reminder of the significant contributions made by cartoonists.
Among the visitors was Brian Cipperly, a US citizen who discovered the exhibition through a Facebook group.
Despite the language barrier, Brian used Google Translate to understand the text in some cartoons, while others resonated through their powerful visuals.
“There is a lot of good symbolism in these cartoons, which makes them interesting,” he said.
Brian believes in the symbiotic relationship between democracy and cartoons, saying: “I think democracy helps to shape cartoons, and cartoons help to shape democracy. For example, a lot of people are now feeling free to express themselves.”
He praised the diverse styles and artists showcased in the exhibition and expressed admiration for the student movement that inspired many of the works.
Photographer and Drik Founder Shahidul Alam shared his reflections on the exhibition's impact.
“Drik has been protesting throughout the entire period in one way or another. Cartoonists protested even when the dictator was in power. But now the space is bigger after the mass uprising, which was not possible before,” he said.
Pointing out a significant shift in public engagement, he said: “Drik organized exhibitions on similar topics before, but the audience was not there like now. That is the difference. During the inauguration, more than thousands of people came—we haven’t seen this in our other exhibitions.”
He added: “Obviously, freedom was not in the air before, but we continued our work.”
The exhibition also attracted younger audiences, like siblings Keyaan and Kornika Islam, students at Glenrich International School, who expressed their excitement and learning experiences.
Aspiring cartoonists themselves, they recently sketched tributes to Abu Sayed and Mughdho, figures in the movement, comparing them to Captain America and Ironman.
Kornika pointed out the contrast between fictional cartoons and the reality-based ones at the exhibition: “The cartoons we watch on TV and read in comics are fiction, but the cartoons here are based on reality.”
For Abir Alam Srabon, a Brac University student who actively participated in the movement, the exhibition was a poignant reminder of recent events.
“This exhibition refreshes our recent memories. The days we lived through, we all can learn from them,” he said.
“The types of cartoons I see here, I used to see it in newspapers in my childhood. Somehow they vanished from the newspapers. Now seeing them back makes me feel good,” Srabon added.
Shormy Shifiq, a freelance artist, found the exhibition deeply inspiring.
“The cartoons of the exhibition are very inspiring. I think that people did not have the same freedom before,” she observed, highlighting the role of cartoonists in spreading awareness during the movement.
Photographer Kowshik Azad emphasized the unique power of visual media in social movements. “Through visual illustrations or cartoons on social media, we can convey messages with a static image, which might be impossible to do in other media. Thus, cartoons had a big impact on this movement,” he explained.
A special section of the exhibition is dedicated to participatory writing and Bangla Hip-Hop music produced during the uprising, further enriching the experience.
