Culture

Voices On the Wall

Street art in Bangladesh prevails after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government.

Piyas Biswas January 7, 2025

People pose in front of a mural representing Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus standing side by side. A quote from Maulana Bhashani, a revered leader in Bangladesh’s liberation movement, reads: “Listen, don’t try to mix religion and country. Later, what will you name the flower? Fatema Chura?” The line combines a common Muslim name, “Fatema,” with a tree associated with Hinduism, “[Krishna] Chura,” to gently mock the idea of a national religion while emphasizing the need for interfaith coexistence. Photos by Piyas Biswas

Bangladesh was shaken by widespread protests in July and August, sparked by the student-led Quota Reform Movement, a movement against employment discrimination that evolved into a campaign to oust the government of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Driven by frustrations over government policies, inequality and corruption, the demonstrations led to violent clashes between protesters and authorities. Police violence left 647 individuals with serious eye injuries and 525 physically disabled. Hospitals reported 622 deaths, though the true toll is higher, as many were not recorded at medical facilities. In all, more than 18,000 people were injured.

After student demands, Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5. The streets of the capital, Dhaka, then became a canvas for public expression. Students, in particular, used graffiti and murals to voice their grief, anger and hope. Walls were adorned with images of victory, calls for justice and tributes to the martyrs of the movement, reflecting the desire for a reborn Bangladesh.

A woman walks past a depiction of the struggle for free speech: a hand forcefully covering the mouth of a student.

The inscription on the left reads, “The freedom that is not for everyone is the freedom for no one.” On the right, “Time to reform our motherland” stands as a collective call for change in the aftermath of the movement.

Here, a mural depicts two figures with eyes and ears covered, a reference to government suppression.

On the right, a person balances “revolt” and “unity” to become “reborn.” The mural on the left, split with a Bangladeshi flag, attests to the power of diverse voices: “A country of different opinions.

A man walks past graffiti depicting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina flying to India after the fall of her government. A student, in a red shirt, waves the Bangladeshi national flag in triumph, while the date, “36th July 2024” in Bengali, signifies how the July Revolution stretched into August.

Graffiti on a busy Dhaka street features the flags of Palestine and Bangladesh. Reflecting solidarity with the Palestinian cause, the statement reads: “Free Palestine. Just like Bangladesh, Palestine will be free soon.” Underneath: “Why do fireflies have to die too soon?”

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Piyas Biswas is a visual journalist from Dhaka, Bangladesh. His work has been published by media such as The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, CNN International and BBC Bangla. His focus is on climate change, human rights, political conflicts and other social issues. He uses his vision to document humanity and raise awareness of global issues.