Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has launched a public art campaign to paint murals commemorating the July uprising on metro rail pillars in Mirpur, with images of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and figures associated with the movement expected to feature in the artwork.
The campaign, titled ‘Let’s Remake July Graffiti’, was inaugurated on Friday, 9 October, by DNCC Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam. The initiative aims to improve the appearance of the city’s infrastructure while preserving the memory of the July uprising and recognising the contributions of those involved.
According to the DNCC, residents will be invited to participate in painting the murals, with the city corporation providing essential materials, including paint and brushes. The initiative is intended to encourage public involvement in transforming the metro rail pillars into spaces for artistic expression and historical remembrance.
Posters Removed Ahead of Deadline
Speaking at the inauguration, Shafiqul Islam said the DNCC had previously announced a 72-hour deadline for removing posters from the metro rail pillars. The task was completed ahead of schedule, he said, with assistance from local political leaders and activists, particularly members of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal.
He explained that the removal of posters was followed by a plan to replace them with graffiti reflecting the July uprising and the contributions of those who participated in the movement.
The administrator said the initiative was intended to ensure that people who had sacrificed their lives or contributed to Bangladesh’s history continued to be remembered by the public. The murals, he added, would provide a visible reminder of the events and individuals associated with the uprising.
Khaleda Zia Among Figures to Be Depicted
One of the prominent features of the proposed murals will be an image of Khaleda Zia, the former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson.
Shafiqul Islam described her as an important figure in the country’s political history and said the DNCC had decided to include her portrait on the metro rail pillars. He also credited her with a significant role in the developments leading to the July uprising, presenting this as a reason for recognising her contribution through the artwork.
The murals are also expected to feature individuals who played leading roles in the July movement, including representatives of Chhatra Dal and other political organisations.
The administrator said the selection of figures would be based on their respective contributions to the country’s history. He stressed that the initiative was not intended to become a subject of political rivalry.
“We will not engage in politics over this initiative,” he said, adding that the artwork would recognise the contributions of those whose roles deserved to be recorded in the historical narrative.
Public Art and Urban Beautification
The campaign is also intended to improve the visual environment around one of Dhaka’s major transport networks. Metro rail pillars stand alongside busy roads and are highly visible to commuters and pedestrians. The accumulation of posters and promotional materials on such structures can affect the appearance of public spaces.
By replacing the posters with planned murals, the DNCC hopes to combine urban beautification with the preservation of memories associated with the July uprising. Inviting residents to participate could also encourage a greater sense of public ownership of the city’s shared spaces.
However, the DNCC has not yet announced a complete list of the individuals to be depicted, the final designs or a specific deadline for completing the murals.
The way the artwork is developed and the contributions it highlights will shape how the initiative is received by residents. For now, the city corporation’s stated objective is to transform the metro rail pillars in Mirpur into public canvases that commemorate the July uprising, recognise the people associated with it and give residents an opportunity to take part in reshaping their urban surroundings.
