In January, Dhaka hosted the latest edition of Chobi Mela, Asia’s longest-running and most nationally diverse photography festival, drawing more than 70,000 attendees over two weeks. Now in its 13th edition, the festival showcased the work of 58 photographers from Bangladesh and 17 other countries, highlighting themes of political upheaval, self-rule, and resilience against state oppression amidst a tense pre-election atmosphere.
The event unfolded against the backdrop of significant political change in Bangladesh. The country was preparing for its first general election in over a generation, scheduled for early February, following the ouster of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in mid-2024. Hasina, who governed for more than 15 years, fled to India amid widespread student protests and was subsequently convicted in absentia for crimes related to a violent crackdown during those demonstrations. The interim government that replaced her had introduced new national holidays marking the moment of political transition, which many citizens viewed with a sense of hope and renewal akin to America’s Independence Day.
Despite the relative stability observed in January, the period was marked by episodes of sectarian violence, political assassinations, and attacks on media outlets, raising questions about the fairness and safety of the upcoming election. In February, roughly 76 million Bangladeshis participated in the vote, electing opposition leader Tarique Rahman, who returned from exile without significant unrest.
At the festival’s core was a pronounced engagement with recent history and current realities. Curator and photographer Munem Wasif emphasized the urgency for artists to respond to this moment of change, noting the palpable tension that pervaded the capital. The exhibition included powerful photo essays documenting the families of disappeared political dissidents under the former regime, produced by Mosfiqur Rahman Johan, who had previously published under a pseudonym due to censorship and threats. Another outdoor display highlighted women’s roles in the 2024 protests, a subject that would have been censored until Hasina’s departure.
The festival also featured broad international participation, with contributors from Sudan, Myanmar, Kashmir, and Palestine exploring shared themes of state hostility, civil conflict, and the quest for democracy. Palestinian photographer Taysir Batniji, based in France, submitted an installation of pixelated screenshots taken during video calls with family members in Gaza amidst ongoing Israeli drone strikes. These images underscored not only the fragility of communication in conflict zones but also the global dimension of struggles for self-determination addressed by the festival.
Hosted at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s National Art Gallery—which had been repurposed to house the army after Hasina’s departure—the festival straddled a space of both cultural expression and political power. The militarized setting served as a stark reminder of the country’s recent turmoil, underscoring the festival’s role as a site of dialogue and resistance amid uncertainty.
Chobi Mela’s blend of local urgency and international solidarity illustrated how photography can serve as a powerful medium for documenting and responding to political upheaval, civic aspirations, and the complexities of self-governance in challenging environments.