Staff Reporter :
On Friday morning in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, artistes gathered to protest against the killing of students during the recent unrest surrounding the quota reform movement and the ongoing mass arrests of students.
The rally, organized under the platform “Artistes Against Genocide and Oppression,” took place in front of the Abahani Field on Sat Masjid Road.
Protesters chanted slogans demanding justice for the student killings. They voiced concerns that freedom of expression has been stifled by repressive laws, noting that people who have spoken out against injustices have faced various forms of social and state oppression for a long time.
In this critical moment for the country, with the demand for quota reform by students escalating into a broader uprising and indiscriminate killings being carried out under the guise of suppression, the artists said it was time to raise their voices in protest.
The rally saw participation from a diverse group of visual artists, photographers, performance artists, musicians, poets, writers, researchers, architects, and art organizers.
Notable attendees included artist Mustafa Zaman, photographer Imtiaz Alam Beg, musician Arup Rahi, musician Bithi Ghosh, photographer Amirul Rajib, curator and writer Shehzad Chowdhury, artist and poet Shawon Chishti, painter Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurba, artist and curator A Ehsan, artist Raian Islam, photographer Mehbuba Mahjabin Hasan, painter Nuzhat Tabassum Anan, artist Sajan, artist Tanzim Iniat, artist Naeem Ul Hasan, curator and archivist Reesham Shahab Tirtho, architect and painter Asit Roy, artist Suborna Morsheda, painter Taposi, and artist Afsana Sharmin Jhumpa.