Unmad, the longest surviving satire magazine of South Asia, has upheld the unique tradition for four decades.
It came into existence, defying Bangladesh’s first military dictatorship of Gen Ziaur Rahman, who took over months after the assassination of the founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members.
During mass movement against the second military dictator HM Ershad, this magazine became hugely popular but Unmad editor Ahsan Habib incurred the wrath of the authority in the late 1980s.
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But, Unmad refused to buckle under the pressure.
The magazine had to face a defamation case of Taka one crore in 1990 during the regime of General Ershad.
Unmad's editor Ahsan Habib met the general in person to explain that the content didn't mock the army chief — then HM Ershad — but the system in general. His inexhaustible resource of art and humor gave voice to the voiceless during those tumultuous times of political instability.
Recognizing his unwavering commitment to the dying art of political cartoons, Joy Bangla Youth Award conferred the lifetime achievement award on Habib.
“This recognition is a big inspiration and would surely help others to step up their work in future”, hoped Ahsan Habib upon receiving the award from CRI trustee Sajeeb Wazed.
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In the sixth installment of the event, which celebrates the young champions of social changes, the organizers recognized the contribution of Unmad editor Ahsan Habib and indigenous writer Younguan Mru over the decades. Both of them were honoured under the Lifetime Achievement category, a new segment added from last year.
Widely credited as a ray of hope in the remote hill tracts, Younguan immersed himself in writing and research, featuring the first book of the Mru community named Totong and writing a book titled 'Mru Fairy Tales'.
Younguan still cultivates land following the jhum tradition. He also translated Bangabandhu's March 7 speech in his native language to spread the knowledge and spirit of the 1971 Liberation War among the youths.
Organized by Young Bangla — under CRI — the country's biggest network of youths, Joy Bangla Youth Award this year honoured 10 youth-led organizations, selected out of over 600 entries from young changemakers across the country who silently transformed their communities through social initiatives.
In the fifth installment of Joy Bangla Youth Award in 2021, Professor Nisar Hossain, among others, received the lifetime award for promoting Mongol Shova Jatra globally which was incorporated on the list of Intangible Heritage by UNESCO.