Cartoons: The sharpest political weapon returns to the front pages

Cartoon by Mahatab Rashid

In a fit of rage, cartoonist Fahim Anzoom Rumman reached for his pen, the weapon he wielded in this battle of ideas. He questioned its power, uncertain if it could truly make a difference. The memories of 2018 haunted him, a time when he had stood in a similar position, fighting a different battle.

His first illustration showed Chatro League members feasting on biryani after ruthlessly attacking innocent students. But it didn't gain the attention he had hoped for. "This isn't enough," he thought. "I have to go further, risk it all."

Fahim's cartoons, bold and unflinching, portrayed former minister Obaidul Quader as a wind-up toy, Sheikh Hasina weeping over a ruined metro rail, and Zunaid Ahmed Palak offering free internet to a woman in distress. Despite facing countless threats, Fahim and other brave cartoonists revived the nearly lost art of political satire in Bangladesh during a turbulent time.

Cartoons and caricatures are not new in Bangladesh, especially in the arena of politics. There was a time when these pieces would find themselves on the front page of leading newspapers, heavily criticising people in power. However, the art had been suffocated into silence over the past one and a half decade years, only to make a rightful return in the past few weeks.

How cartoons drifted away from mainstream media

Cartoons and media have always gone hand in hand, especially in the context of Bangladesh.  But why are cartoons so beloved?

ASM Rezaur Rahman, the General Manager of Drik, believes, "Cartoons tell the truth with a smile, in the form of a joke. That is why people would fear it as a political tool."

While print media often operates within the boundaries of restraint, sometimes out of necessity and sometimes due to pressure, cartoons take a contrasting approach. As Rezaur notes, the style of cartoons is much "sharper."

And because of this art form's boldness, it had been tactfully removed from the public eye. It was taken away in the darkness of the night— everyone saw it leave but very few could say anything in protest. 

Cartoon by Morshed Mishu

"Before Hussain Muhammad Ershad's regime fell, there was a pressure on cartoonists to tone down, or to stop. Media companies would receive threats," shared Rezaur.

The calls the media companies received would threaten legal actions, or threats to revoke their license. In retrospect, Rezaur says, the threats were nothing in comparison to the level of danger today - he still recounts how it made their blood run cold. 

Back in the day, cartoonists gained their freedom in the ebb and flow of waves. They regained popularity as Ershad fell, and artists were somewhat able to draw during the beginning of Sheikh Hasina's regime. However, they went back behind the curtain of silence. 

"The Alpin issue of Prothom Alo was a turning point, after which political cartoonists began drawing less, and publications decreased as well," shared Rezaur. 

Alpin's 431st issue, published on 17 September, 2007 contained controversial religious elements that sparked protests across the nation.

While the media came under pressure during this time, caricatures saw a fall as well. 

Cartoons had slowly diminished after that. The ones that were published afterwards were mostly about socio-cultural issues, and less about politics and caricatures," commented Rezaur.

But even in the midst of the rising tension to suppress this art form, some artists still drew on. 

Cartoonist Mehedi Haque, Senior Artist at New Age, Executive Editor at UNMAD, and founder of Dhaka Comics was one of the many cartoonists who bravely published political cartoons at the peak of the student protests. In fact, he never quite stopped drawing in the first place. 

He recalls how in the past, the risks were not direct. The pressure came silently but the dangers still stared right back at you. 

"There was a lot of pressure due to censorship [during Sheikh Hasina's regime]. It is not like there wasn't a risk, it was always there. But we tried to face it with as much bravery as we could," shared Mehedi.

Cartoonists in Bangladesh have always battled censorship, but especially struggled with the heavily criticised Digital Security Act (DSA).

Cartoon: Fahim Anzoom

In a press statement in 2023, the US State Department had called the DSA, "one of the world's most draconian laws for journalists."

Cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore and writer Mushtaq Ahmed were active in their fields, until they were both arrested in 2020, charged under the DSA. While Kishore survived, Mushtaq had unfortunately passed away on 25 February, 2021 unable to survive the torture while in custody.

"Even though we were aware of the ongoing tension of arrests throughout the country, when Kishore was taken away, it was still a shock to everyone," shared Rezaur.

Rezaur recalled the fear around him. People kept checking up on each other to make sure they were not the next to be arrested. They even picked up on ways to figure out if a phone was tapped. 

When cartoons returned in full flow

During the student protests, the same wave of fear washed over youths and artists. Cartoonist Fahim knew of the dangers his decision to draw without fear would hold. 

"I had to remove all of my information from my page. I was bombarded with emails trying to find out my location."

But Fahim noted how there was a huge contrast in the approach publications had in comparison to the boldness of the protest online. 

Cartoons had made their return in full swing during the student protests, breaking out of the silence Bangladesh had endured for 15 years. The only thing that could bring back this suppressed art form was this moment of extreme anger among the youth towards the injustices they faced. 

Even when Bangladesh went completely silent during the internet blackout, the art work of Debashish Chakrabarty circulated on social media with the help of people abroad, who were adamant on not letting the movement die. 

Cartoonists such as Morshed Mishu captured how courage among the youth had spread after seeing the deaths of fellow protesters, in one of his pieces. These pieces capture the essence of the student movement that can not quite be imitated through words.

He believes complete freedom to draw cartoons and caricatures still remains an idea. Seeing it in practice is still difficult to perceive, but people can dream. 

Rezaur reflects on how, at the start of the student protests, few could have predicted the significant changes that would follow—but they did. He urges people not to abandon hope, reminding them that students have shown that anything is possible.

Newspapers began featuring them on their front pages, marking a significant victory. These cartoons became crucial in documenting the emotions of the public, who were too afraid to speak out. To preserve these voices, Drik launched the exhibition 'Cartoon e Bidroho,' aiming to archive this powerful moment in history.

Even when the freedom to create cartoons was under threat, artists persisted. As political tension and fear reached their peak in July, cartoonists responded by drawing even more. Mehedi and Rezaur emphasise that every cartoonist faced the same looming risks—yet they continued to draw.