Artistes should question power, not fear it
"We were afraid of the government, but the students gave us courage – so we owe it to them to protest the brutality inflicted upon them," said Cryptic Fate's vocalist, Shakib Chowdhury, on August 3, just two days before former prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country amidst a mass uprising led by students in Bangladesh. The irony lies in the fact that many of these students were inspired by Cryptic Fate's "Cholo Bangladesh", as documented by numerous social media edits.
On that very day, the nation witnessed musicians marching towards the Central Shaheed Minar in solidarity with the people—the most unprecedented act of defiance by celebrities since the Awami League came to power. Throughout the quota reform movement, which escalated from July 15 onwards, celebrities cautiously offered their heavily censored condolences with statements such as "We don't want bloodshed" or "Let peace return to the country," all the while ignoring the harsh reality that armed forces were firing upon unarmed students, instead of working to de-escalate the situation.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Once regarded as the beacons and mirrors of society, entertainment stars had, regrettably, been tamed, censored, and coerced into partisan silence over the past 15 years. It became common knowledge that national honours, film awards, and even relevance in the industry depended on a celebrity's proximity to the ruling party. While many argue that fear was the primary motivator for this silence, one cannot ignore the role greed may have played. Consider the National Film Awards, where merit often took a backseat to how well one could lobby for recognition.
"You've left, but you could have given the national awards to artistes who were oh-so inclined," wrote Sadia Ayman, a young actress who had vocally supported the student-led uprising while senior celebrities remained silent. She referred, of course, to a recent government-backed all-star biographical film that seemingly guaranteed accolades for its participants, regardless of the quality of their performances. Sadia also spoke out when a select group of cultural elites visited the BTV premises on August 1, lamenting over the vandalised building while hundreds of students had already lost their lives. "Shame on you," she wrote in a Facebook post.
As the student movement reached its zenith, actress Zakia Bari Mamo resigned from Actors' Equity Bangladesh in protest of their statement, which contradicted the students' demands. "We are a free nation; anyone is free to support any political party, but blind devotion leads nowhere," she asserted.
On August 1, several bands boycotted the annual Joy Bangla Concert, held on March 7. "There is no question of performing in the Joy Bangla Concert after what has transpired over the past two weeks," Nemesis announced on their social media platforms. The band had been vocal on behalf of students since the 2018 Road Safety Movement, and this time was no different. Their songs, "Gonojowar" and "Joyoddhoni", flooded social media and graffiti across the country. Furthermore, they were seen cleaning the streets in the days following the mass uprising.
Celebrities are now emerging from their shells to advocate for the people—a much-needed phenomenon to strengthen the cultural backbone of the nation. It would be remiss not to mention the iconic stance taken by Prince Mahmud, who wrote, "It takes time for the culture of fear to end. Not all forms of protest are the same. We should welcome the culture of asking questions."
Cultural figures, some without even being directly involved in the movement, fuelled the protest with their music, art, and philosophy. As the fire of resistance raged on, the veil of fear was lifted, and more voices joined in. We can only hope that today's celebrities learn to question power rather than remain subservient to it.
Comments