Art, science and storytelling converged at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka, as Dr Sajid Bin Doza unveiled his sci-fi graphic novel Crustacean and Professor Deep Choudhury on Friday evening.
The launch, organised by Abosar Prokashana Sangstha, featured a visual exhibition of selected artworks from the book, a talk by the author and reflections from invited guests.
Eminent cartoonist and UNMAD editor Ahsan Habib attended as chief guest. “I’ve been teaching graphic novels at a university for five years, so I know the rules,” he said. “This work by Doza is finely crafted. I thank Abosar Prokashana for publishing it and AFD for hosting this event.”
Set against the landscape of Bangladesh, the novel weaves together geography, history and mythology with speculative science. It follows an art historian, a medieval palace in North Bengal and an intelligent deep-sea species, the Crustaceans, who challenge humanity’s notions of consciousness and civilisation.
Through this fusion of art and scientific imagination, Dr Doza invites readers to explore the boundary between the known and the unknown; where inquiry meets wonder.
Speaking to The TIMES of Bangladesh, Dr Doza said, “I’ve held nine art exhibitions at AFD on heritage and architecture, but this is my first graphic novel. It features 35 of my artworks and reflects my love for architecture, sci-fi and heritage. I’m honoured that Ahsan Habib launched it, as I’ve worked with him at UNMAD for many years.”
An Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture, BRAC University, Dr Doza is widely recognised for his research on Bengal’s art, architecture and heritage.
His latest work marks an evolution in his creative journey, blending academic insight with the poetic power of visual storytelling.
The event was also joined by Nur E Montakim Alamgir, Publisher, Abosar Prokashana Sangstha; Dr. A K M Shahnawaz, Professor of Archaeology, Jahangirnagar University; and Alliance Française de Dhaka Director François Chambraud, among others.
