Page 256 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

CARTOON AND CARICATURE 253

themselves. This means, a self-imposed censorship is at work. We can say for
argument’s sake that, perhaps, this happens in every society.
We can investigate the influence of cartoon in our society as an extremely social art-
medium. It is known that the first prime minister of India, Jawharlal Nehru, used to
say to the cartoonists, ‘Don’t spare me!’ One can take it as an example of tolerance on
one hand and on the other this may be considered as an excellent strategy to maintain
good relations with the cartoonists. It is also known that chief minister of undivided
Bengal, Sher e Bangla Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, used to maintain a friendly
relationship with cartoonist Piciel. We can here quote a comment of the Indian
cartoonist Chandi Lahiri, ‘I think a cartoon rarely forms public opinion. If you can do
a cartoon on an issue which is already a part of public opinion or related to public
interest then the cartoon becomes very popular overnight.’ [Trans.] Perhaps the
6
process works in this way. If one can do a good cartoon on a subject which has already
created anger, sadness, or fun in the public mind then it resonates ripples. Therefore,
the challenge for the cartoonist is to be knowledgeable about the whims and caprices
of the public mind and to find the subject which might hit the bull’s eye. But there is
also an opinion among cartoonists that even if a cartoon can build up public opinion,
the political leaders of a country like ours where the democratic structure is weak, can
easily ignore its impact. In fact, it is to be considered how far they bother about public
opinion at all! Rather, there are political leaders who prefer to become subjects of a
cartoon of a popular cartoonist and see their picture on the front page of a newspaper.
Nevertheless, it can be said unquestionably that cartoon is a part of social expression
in a pluralist society. The cartoonists do not give birth to an agenda- it is not their
responsibility as artists. But through creating a cartoon on an agenda, which has come
into being as a result of social and political activities, cartoonists using their
sensibilities, sense of history, sense of humor and sense of responsibility to society can
contribute as a positive catalyst. We may think that the practice of cartoon has been
progressing in this manner for the last half decade in our country.

Notes and References
1. Dineschandra Sen, Brihat Banga, (Calcutta 1993), 439.
2. Partha Mitter, Art and Nationalism in Colonial India 1850-1920 (Cambridge 1994), 159
3. Mohammad Jahangir, ‘Cartoon O Amader Sangbadpatra’, Niriksha, 39th Issue, Editor: Kamal Lohani
(Bangladesh Press Institute, October-December 1985), 35.
4. Ibid., 35.
5. Ibid,. 26.
6. Chandi Lahiri, Cartooner Itibritto, (Public Media Center, Information and Culture Department,
Government of West Bengal, December 1995), 62.