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Cartoonists on Friday called on all to keep criticising the system to reform the state through their works following the student-led mass uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.

The call was made at an opening ceremony of a cartoon exhibition at Drik Gallery in the capital.

The exhibition tilted Cartoone Bidrho, comprised 175 selected artworks of 86 cartoonists and artists created during the quota reform protests and published in different newspapers, magazines, websites and social media to support the uprising, was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Cartoonist Association, Earki and Drik.

The cartoons and digital arts widely depict details of the protests, killings of students, and activities of a fascist dictator, who wanted to capture power by killing students. 

Photographer and rights activist Shahidul Alam, senior cartoonist of ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· Mehedi Haque, editor of Earki Simu Naser, cartoonist-editor of Unmad Ahsan Habib and a coordinator of the Students Movement Against Discrimination Umama Fatema were present at the opening ceremony which was moderated by ASM Rezaur Rahman. 

At the exhibition, Shahidul Alam said, ‘Cartoonists played a vital role in this mass movement. But it’s also important how the authorities receive the cartoons as a medium of critique. We congratulate all on making the exhibition possible.’ ‘Nowadays the political cartoons are rare in newspapers because of the authoritarian attitudes of the state but I would like to thank editor of ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· Nurul Kabir who always made it possible to publish political cartoons regularly even during the protests.  We urge all not to stop criticising through cartoons,’ said Mehedi Haque.

Ahsan Habib said, ‘I appreciate young cartoonists for their great effort during the protest.’

Umama Fatema, who inaugurated the eight-day exhibition, said, ‘We have to criticise the corrupted system to reform the country. Besides, we must promote freedom of speech and non-communal issues. I urge artists and cartoonists to continue their works.’

The exhibition will close on August 23.