A slogan reads “This country belongs to all!” on a wall in Dhaka. Spray paint has given voice to competing visions for the future of Bangladesh.
Photographer: Fabeha Monir/BloombergDhaka’s Revolutionary Makeover Pits Visions of Peace Against Vengeance
Political turmoil has transformed the Bangladeshi capital as fiery slogans wipe away traces of past regimes, but there is no consensus on how to move forward.
After the shocking collapse of Bangladesh’s government a couple of months ago, Dhaka’s gray concrete sprawl suddenly transformed.
Hundreds of murals appeared across the city practically overnight, punctuated with the fiery slogans of revolution. Armed with sledgehammers, demonstrators smashed statues memorializing Bangladesh’s history, torched buses and police stations, and raided ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s opulent palace, wheeling away mattresses, television sets and even live goats.