Chobi Mela returns to Dhaka with 11th edition

Chobi Mela, one of Asia’s most prominent photography festivals, made a vibrant return Friday with the launch of its 11th edition in Dhaka.

The festival opened with the Chobi Mela Rally, which began at the National Press Club and moved through the city to the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, culminating in an inaugural ceremony at the Jatiyo Chitrashala Auditorium.

Festival organisers, curators, local and international photographers, students and artists joined the procession, marking the official start of the 25th anniversary edition of Chobi Mela.

At the opening ceremony, Festival Director ASM Rezaur Rahman delivered the welcome address, while Artistic Directors Munem Wasif and Sarker Protick presented the curatorial note. The event was attended by Adviser to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Rezauddin Stalin as guest of honour, and the festival’s founder and chief adviser Shahidul Alam, among others.

Speaking at the ceremony, Shahidul Alam described Chobi Mela as “a movement, a resistance, an awakening.” Reflecting on recent political changes, he said the festival carries a vision for a new Bangladesh, adding that after a difficult period following the ousting of a dictator, the country now looks forward to imagining a more inclusive and different future.

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki noted that photography has long remained under-recognised within Bangladesh’s cultural institutions. He informed the audience that a recent ordinance has been passed to expand the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and to establish an independent photography department.

This year’s Chobi Mela features nine exhibitions by 58 artists from 18 countries across five continents, presented under the theme “Re”. The exhibitions are being hosted across five venues in Dhaka — the Bangladesh National Museum, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Alliance Française de Dhaka, DrikPath Bhobon, and the Bangladesh National Parliament.

The opening ceremony also included a conversation titled “Art as Resistance”, featuring Shahidul Alam alongside American photojournalist and educator Gary Knight, Indian educator and curator Tanvi Mishra, Sudanese photographer Muhammad Salah Abdulaziz, and visual artist-curator Yasmine Eid-Sabbagh.

In addition to the exhibitions, a four-day evening programme comprising artist talks, panel discussions, lectures and film screenings begins today at the Joyeeta Foundation in Dhanmondi.

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The 11th edition of Chobi Mela will continue until January 31, 2026, inviting audiences from all walks of life to engage with photography, visual culture and critical dialogue.