Can our comedians finally crack political jokes?

Sometime ago comedian Amin Hannan Chowdhury found himself backstage, minutes away from performing at a show that was graced by a number of government officials. The show should have been just another gig. 

But as he stood there, a voice crackled through the walkie-talkie clutched in his hand. A certain minister, unnamed by Amin, issued a cold command: "Make sure Amin doesn't say anything ludicrous."

In that instant, the comedian in him was silenced, replaced by something hollow.

"I went from being a comedian to an announcer in a split second," Amin recalled, the sting of that moment still sharp. 

Stripped of his freedom, he stepped onto the stage, a ghost of the performer he was. The words that came weren't truly his—they were careful, restrained, and void of the humour that Amin was known for. 

"There was no performance," Amin reflected.

"What I did on stage was just an act. I kept it very basic and didn't even introduce myself as a comic. I got up, thanked the ministers and officials, and left the stage within minutes." 

In those few minutes, something had been stolen from him, something more than just a performance—it was his voice, his spirit, his right to laugh in the face of authority.

Globally, political humour is a key element that makes comedy sets both funny and widely appreciated. However, Bangladeshi comedians have always been constrained by the cultural sensitivities of the nation and the limitations on free speech, preventing them from making jokes about topics like politics and religion.

With the recent fall of the Hasina-led government, there is a renewed sense of hope across industries for a more liberal Bangladesh, one that embraces greater freedom of speech and thought. 

TBS spoke to several comedians in the circuit to explore whether the new political landscape might allow them the freedom to deliver jokes, especially political ones, without fear of repercussions.

"I believe we can [crack political jokes], at least for the time being. I'm hopeful," says Rafsan Sabab.

Rafsan, who has performed comedy in multiple venues and hosted events across the country, remains optimistic. He believes that the recent revolution allowed many Bangladeshi creators, internet personalities, and artistes, along with ordinary people, to express themselves fearlessly for the first time. This, according to Rafsan, got the ball rolling towards a more liberal Bangladesh.

"Freedom of speech was a key factor in the recent revolution. Many of us were able to voice our frustrations over wrongdoings freely for the first time. If a new government emerges based on this, I hope that everyone, particularly artistes, will enjoy greater freedom," Rafsan said.

Amin, on the other hand, is staying grounded and feels things might not be as simple. He believes that little has truly changed. Despite the current atmosphere suggesting greater freedom of speech and thought, he worries that, eventually, another autocratic regime could emerge, bringing us right back to square one. 

"The answer is no, I don't think we can start cracking political jokes straight off the bat. We don't know what lies ahead and we don't know how lenient future regimes will be," he said.

Amin also questions even if he does start going down the route of political humour, for how long can he actually sustain it.

"If I crack one [political joke] today, who's giving me the assurance that I won't get in trouble for this after a few years?"

Veteran comedian Naveed Mahbub, on the other hand, is hopeful about a more liberal Bangladesh. However, he adds, "It's still too early to predict how things will unfold. Even in a liberal society with freedom of speech, people sometimes take offence even when the jokes aren't aimed directly at them."

The other aspect binding freedom of speech when it comes to comedy, is our sensitivity as a nation concerning certain topics. Based on his experience performing throughout Dhaka and Bangladesh, Amin believes that comedians generally follow a rule of thumb when creating setlists, adjusting their content according to the sensitivity of the audience in different locations.

"There will always be conservative audiences to consider, and it's often the religious angle, rather than politics, that people find most offensive," he explained.

Amin questions if Bangladeshi audiences are truly ready for "sensitive" jokes, noting that their limited exposure to such content makes it a challenge. He points out that too many sex jokes in Sylhet might backfire, while in Dhaka, even a slight ticket price increase can attract a diverse audience with different sensitivities.

He highlights that in other parts of the world, where comedians faced restrictions on their expression, there were always individuals who endured the trauma, politics, and legal battles to defend their right to free speech.

Amin remarked, "In India, Munawar Faruqui went to jail, and AIB [All India Bakchod] faced multiple FIRs [First Information Report]. Someone had to endure the hardships to emerge victorious. Who in Bangladesh is ready to face all of that?"

While balancing "offensive" jokes with the audience's right to take offence is delicate, protecting freedom of speech remains essential. However, comedians must also avoid crossing the line into insensitivity over creativity. 

To be fair, Bangladeshi comedians have indeed made jokes about politics before. However, digital creator Salman Muqtadir notes that many rely on repetitive, mundane humour targeting specific individuals.

"To deliver intellectual jokes, you need to be intellectual yourself. These jokes should convey a message, not just repetitive jests aimed at individuals, which often end up as mere personal attacks without any real substance," Salman explained. 

"Cracking jokes about Khaleda Zia's eyebrows isn't political. Poking fun at Hasina or Khaleda's physical traits isn't political satire; they're just blatant attacks. And if that's all you do repeatedly, regardless of free speech, you're not producing quality comedy," he concluded.