Photo : Messenger
In Thanchi, Bandarban, students are using graffiti to express their protest against discrimination, depicting the bloodshed of the recent July student movement. With brushes in hand, they are capturing the spirit of the student-public movement on walls, illustrating the struggle for respect in the hills and plains, and the pain, deprivation, and oppression endured by the people of the hills.
The graffiti campaign began last Wednesday (August 14) and continued into Thursday, starting around the area of Thanchi Government High School. The students are painting the walls white and then covering them with images reflecting the student-public movement's pride, the demand for respect in the hills and plains, and the tales of suffering, deprivation, and abuse in the hills. According to various sources, this wall-writing and graffiti campaign will continue based on the situation.
During a visit to the site, it was observed that a group of young people and students were painting graffiti on the walls of Thanchi Government High School. They were using their brushes to portray the student-public movement, as well as the suffering, deprivation, and oppression in the hills. The walls were also being adorned with slogans calling for a new vision for the country.
Elsewhere, on the walls behind Thanchi Government High School and Hostel, another group of young men and women were painting images that protest against injustice, corruption, and inequality. They were also depicting the spirit of the Liberation War, painting the country's map and the red and green national flag on the walls. Through their art, they were capturing the tales of deprivation, bullying, and suffering in the hills.
The participating students shared their thoughts on the graffiti project, stating that they want to decorate the walls of Thanchi in their own way. They expressed a desire to colorfully adorn every wall in the town, using slogans that envision a new Bangladesh.
Some members of the indigenous youth community, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that the art projects are ongoing in various parts of Thanchi to beautify the walls. Students from different schools and colleges are participating in this effort to paint the walls with vibrant colors.
They also mentioned that after the fall of the autocratic regime on August 5, students have been dreaming of building a new Bangladesh. Through the wall art in Thanchi, they are attempting to depict the student-public movement, the demand for respect in the hills and plains, and the tales of deprivation, oppression, and suffering in the hills. This wall-writing and graffiti initiative is a project taken up by the youth themselves.
Messenger/Fameema
