Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that preventing corruption requires more than just the rule of law, accountability for the accused, and institutional capacity.
The public must also take a strong stand against corruption. In particular, the innovative power of youth, their protests, and awareness are crucial. Cartoons serve as an essential part of that protest, he said.
The TIB chief said this while speaking at the prize awarding ceremony of cartoon, comic strip competition, featuring artworks held at TIB Dhanmondi office on Monday. The event also included the inauguration of a 13-day exhibition and virtual gallery.
The organization arranged the cartoon and comic strip competition, featuring artworks by young participants from various age groups, aimed at promoting anti-corruption messages among the nation's youth.
The distinguished guests of the event were Corinne Henchoz Pignani, Chargée d’affaires, Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh; Thijs Woudstra, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Duncan Overfield, Deputy Development Director, FCDO; Alenay Tansey, Office Director, Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Office, USAID; and Lovisa Hofmann, Head of Political, Trade, and Communication Section, Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh. The event was also attended by Ahsan Habib, Cartoonist and Editor of UNMAD, and Mehedi Haque, Senior Cartoonist at The New Age, both of whom served as judges for the competition.
In the 19th Anti-Corruption Cartoon Competition on “Corruption and Immorality,” Shoyaeb Ahamed (Naogaon Government College), Mahin Mehjabin Mohar (BIAM Laboratory School and College), and Ahnaf Tahmid (Rangpur Cadet College) won the first, second, and third places in the 'A' category (13-18 years), respectively. In the 'B' category (19-25 years), Arindom Kudu (Dhaka University), Asif Mohammad Yousuf (Cumilla Medical College), and Abdullah Al Zunaed (University of Liberal Arts) took the top three spots. The winners received Tk 75,000, Tk 50,000, and Tk 40,000, along with crests and certificates.
This year, TIB introduced two new categories: digital cartoons and comic strips for ages 15-25. Mong Shonie Rakhaine (Dhaka University) won in digital cartoons, while Abdullah Al Zunaed (University of Liberal Arts) won in comic strips. Both received Tk 75,000, crests, and certificates.
A total of 247 cartoons were submitted by 160 artists. The exhibition, featuring 63 winning cartoons and works by 50 nominated artists, is open daily from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm at TIB’s Dhanmondi office (Midas Center, House-05, Road-27) until December 21. Besides, the exhibition will continue in a virtual gallery: https://www.ti-bangladesh.org/cartoon-competition.
This year, in observance of the 20th anniversary of International Anti-Corruption Day, TIB marked the occasion under the theme "New Bangladesh - Invincible Youth Will Stop Corruption." On December 5, TIB hosted an investigative journalist conclave and presented the Anti-Corruption Investigative Journalism Awards.
Fellowships were also awarded to selected journalists. On December 8, a human chain was formed in front of the National Parliament. Additionally, TIB organized rallies, information fairs, quiz competitions, and cartoon exhibitions to observe the day. TIB’s CCC, YES Group, and ACG were actively involved in the observance.