The year 2024 shall forever remain etched in our hearts as a season of mixed emotions. On one hand, we look back at those tumultuous days with joy. On the other hand, we remain apprehensive about what lies ahead.

In this “noya bondobosto,” discrimination has simply been repackaged, following the same rotten patterns we thought we had destroyed.

During Bangladesh’s July Movement, meme artists and political illustrators used digital satire and visual storytelling as powerful tools of resistance, transforming protest into art that exposed truth, challenged authority, and preserved uncensored history online.

A Rampura resident recounts the July Revolution from their 11th-floor window, witnessing Dhaka's transformation into a warzone as student-led protests erupted, culminating in regime collapse and the birth of a new, uncertain Bangladesh.

Despite the weekly holiday, anti-quota protesters once again blocked the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka, demanding reforms to the quota system in government jobs and condemning the police action on students the previous day.

The core issue with the quota system lies in allocating fixed percentages without considering the actual number of eligible candidates in a given year.

They fear that such a move would weaken their cadre strength

At pageants, the spotlight often shines on glamour and charisma. However, this year, Mr World Bangladesh 2024, B Proshad Das, and designer Tasmit Afiyat Arny, elevated the platform with a meaningful tribute to an unsung segment of Bangladesh’s population through a costume, titled “Tribute to Remittance Warrior.”

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus disclosed the development at a meeting with editors today.

Stay in a group, never in alleyways

The July wind brought in the scent of new beginnings

Magic boys and girls of Bangladesh, I love you.

Movements leave an indelible mark on the psyche of the people, and thus, the culture. As people are pushed to the brink of intolerance through oppressive measures,

I’m not here to take sides, but I want to ask: Why are we so quick to question the students when reports started coming in of some crossing the line?

Bangladesh has recently witnessed extraordinary times. In July 2024, what began as a student movement demanding a restructuring of the government job quota system escalated into a countrywide mass movement for equality, justice, and democratic freedom.

With his outstretched arms, with his head held high, with his simple yet impenetrable courage Abu Sayed changed everything

Bangladesh’s recent student protests sparked a transformative shift, with youth taking on roles as impromptu traffic controllers in Dhaka, showcasing resilience and unity. Hotels and restaurants, like Beirut in Banani, supported students by providing free meals, symbolizing solidarity. This act of kindness boosted morale and highlighted the power of community support.

What can songs do? A lot, actually! They can win hearts and also aid in unsettling an entire system and dethroning the powerful. We have been reminded of the latter during the recent student protests and a powerful reminder it was as the Gen Z of Bangladesh took old, patriotic songs and used them in a modern context.

On 13 August 2024, the Bangladesh Rickshaw Art Society transformed the walls near Sheikh Russel Tower at the Dhaka University campus into a vibrant canvas of rickshaw art.

If we flip the pages of history, we will find that rap and hip-hop music has been a powerful medium for expressing discontent, rallying causes, and standing up to authority. Although other forms of music also contributed in their own way, there is something about hip-hop music when it comes to challenging established power structures that sets it apart from the others.