Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday presented an artbook on graffiti on the roadside walls in Bangladesh to a visiting US delegation after they met him at the state guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka.

The chief adviser commissioned the artbook immediately after he was sworn in as the head of the interim government.

This book carries photos of some of the finest artworks drawn by students and young people on the walls of Dhaka and other cities and towns during the student-led revolution in July-August.

Prof Yunus spoke about the historical significance of the graffiti, which depicted the emotions, hope, and aspirations of the students and youth who participated in the protests against the fascist Sheikh Hasina regime defying brute forces.

“I will request you to look at the walls of Dhaka. These graffiti still exist. They were drawn not just after the revolution. Students defied the government forces to draw graffiti during the protests in July,” the chief adviser told US delegates.

Dhaka became the graffiti capital of the world after young painters turned its walls into powerful canvases. They have written slogans and poetry to deliver powerful messages.

The messages reflect the spirit of the revolution and the aspirations for a discrimination-free Bangladesh.

Prof Yunus recalled how students used their artworks to deliver messages with the support of people from all walks of life. “They did not have the money to buy paint and brushes. People came forward to support them,” he told US delegates.

Brent Neiman, assistant secretary of the US Treasury Department, led the US team during the meeting.

Donald Lu, US assistant secretary of state, Brendan Lynch, assistant US trade representative, Anjali Kaur, deputy assistant administrator, and Jerrod Mason, a director of the US Treasury Department, were also present.