Shahidul Alam addresses a crowd in front of the current festival logo: a bold red cross on a black background. Photo: Chobi Mela
Arundhati Roy (left) and Shahidul Alam on the evening of March 5. Photo: Chobi Mela
Shahidul Alam: I am very appreciative of the role played by a small but brave group of activists and creative practitioners and the massive group of people from all walks of life who stood by me while I was incarcerated. India was particularly vocal in its support and provided huge moral support while I was inside. It nourished me and gave me strength. It also confirmed my belief in people power. Authoritarian regimes have muscle and money, but can be defeated by collective resistance.
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I’ve been doing photography for 39 years, but only working professionally for 36. I’ve been facing repressive regimes for a long time now, and Bangladesh is, by no means, alone in its intolerance of dissent. It is the alarming rise in levels of repression that is scary. I have had a loaded gun pointed to my head and faced extortion by government supported goons during General Ershad’s military regime. I was attacked in the streets and received eight knife wounds before Bangladesh Nationalist Party staged a rigged election. Now, Awami League puts me in jail before a farcical election. So what’s new?
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Chobi Mela X has returned to its roots. The first Chobi Mela was a relatively small event staged mostly in galleries in Dhanmondi. After having shown in major white cube spaces, alternative spaces in Old Dhaka, and in outdoor venues, Chobi Mela has returned to the place of its origin. The under-construction building of Drik and Pathshala provided creative opportunities we’ve never had before. With a skeleton budget and a huge degree of optimism, we decided to attempt our most ambitious installations so far, despite the ridiculous budget. Friends chipped in: some with small sums of money, others with beds for visiting artists, some provided transport.People like Arundhati Roy went out of the way to be with us and make a powerful statement for the rights of the dispossessed. The art itself has been very diverse with sound art, mixed media and video taking more space than ever before. Much of the work is in the interface between photography and other art practices. It’s more diverse, more experimental, more exciting and more provocative. Archives and education have also been given far more space than before. Despite the uncertainties, we are now thinking long term.
A work from 'The Archives of Persistence', a section of Chobi Mela that brings together different projects which all emerge from places of conflict and transition, places in which people persist to transform their reality.
We certainly operate in a culture of fear. But it’s not simply people and companies who are scared; the government too, is scared to bits. The clumsy attempt to derail the talk by Arundhati Roy has made the government a laughing stock, with even pro government media chastising the government for its heavy-handedness.It is true that apart from one local corporate sponsor, all others had backed out. Most don’t even dare to speak to me on the phone. They trade with the government and feel they cannot be seen to be ‘Shahidul Friendly’. On the other hand, Arundhati wrote, “Well I am proudly Shahidul-friendly.. Here I come.” Yes the government has money and muscle, and the culture of intolerance will scare some people off, but it is we who have credibility, and the ones who have chosen to stay with us feel empowered by our show of resistance.
An installation by photographer and festival co-curator Sarker Protick at the Shilpakala National Gallery, Dhaka. Photo: Chobi Mela
The government venue for Arundhati’s talk was cancelled at the last minute. Obviously, they felt we could not regroup in time, but we did, hiring a private space. They then lent their weight on this organisation, scaring them into submission, but with criticism mounting and people gathering around the venue, they had a problem on their hands. They offered to apologise as a face-saving measure, and eventually just caved in. Other venues where we tried were all scared off. The Midas Centre itself didn’t back off, but it was eventually the government which backed off allowing the event to continue. They are the ones with egg on their face. Sponsors have also been harassed and many have been warned about collaborating with us. Some individuals have provided support, but have chosen to remain anonymous for reasons of safety.
A mobile exhibition in Dhaka. Photo: Chobi Mela
I believe Chobi Mela X has changed the festival for better. If we can pull off a major international event such as this when the government is hounding us, when sponsors are scared, when the media is backing off, and we can still pull off a world-class event in style, we know we are fighting from a position of strength. If they can’t deal with that, it’s their problem.The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.The 10th edition of Chobi Mela concluded on March 9. Follow them on their website .Follow Pallavi Pundir on Twitter.
