Since its inception in 2000, Chobi Mela International Festival of Photography has been an important photography event in Asia and the first of a regular biannual, one that has become a highlight of the Asian calendar. Chobi Mela is organised in Dhaka, Bangladesh, by Drik Picture Library Ltd. and Pathshala South Asian Media Institute. The eleventh edition will be held from 16-31 January 2026.

Chobi Mela is organized around a central theme for each edition, reflecting both global and regional concerns through visual narratives. Since its inception, the festival has completed ten biennial editions from 2000 to 2019, along with a special edition in 2021. Below is the list of previous editions and their respective themes:

Chobi Mela I (2000): Differences
Chobi Mela II (2002): Exclusion
Chobi Mela III (2004): Resistance
Chobi Mela IV (2006): Boundaries
Chobi Mela V (2008): Freedom
Chobi Mela VI (2011): Dreams
Chobi Mela VII (2013): Fragility
Chobi Mela VIII (2015): Intimacy
Chobi Mela IX (2017): Transition
Chobi Mela X (2019): Place
Chobi Mela Shunno (2021): Zero

The theme for Chobi Mela XI, 2026 is ‘Re’. Now, more than half a year after Bangladesh rose up in people’s revolt, we’ve realised a transformative possibility that resonates with the phonetic sound of ‘Re’. ‘Re’ speaks to renewal, rebuilding, and reimagining — moments when disruption becomes the seed of new beginnings. Chobi Mela XI will feature exhibitions, presentations, workshops, and a lifetime achievement award, drawing over 100,000 local and international visitors over two weeks.

Chobi Mela has become a global platform for upcoming photographers from regions such as Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The set¬up of Chobi Mela crosses boundaries in its approach towards the art of photography by engaging curators, archivists, historians, lawyers, and photography teachers in workshops and debates. The most important impact of Chobi Mela is an awareness of the tremendous gains of photography in the south, particularly in South Asia.