The Bengali New Year 1433 was celebrated across Bangladesh on Tuesday with festivity through cultural programmes, community events, and social gatherings.
A large number of people joined the festivities to mark the day, commonly known as Pahela Baishakh or Nababarsha. Various socio-cultural organisations and educational institutions organised programmes in Dhaka and elsewhere across the country to celebrate the occasion.
The day was a public holiday.
The opening event in Dhaka began at Ramna Batamul, hosted by Chhayanaut, followed by the traditional procession on the Dhaka University campus.
Chhayanaut started its traditional cultural event with a chorus song titled ‘Jago Alok Logone’, performed by Mirajul Jannat Sonia, Aishwarja Samadder, Priyontu Deb, and Samudra Shuvam.
The event comprised eight chorus songs, 14 solo musical performances, and recitations by renowned singers and students of the organisation, including Bizon Chandra Mistry, Bhaswar Banerjee, Khairul Anam Shakil, Tania Mannan, Laisa Ahmed Lisa, Khairul Alam Shabuj, Biman Chandra Biswas, and Chandana Majumdar.
The event concluded with a special speech delivered by Chhayanaut executive president Sarwar Ali.
Mentioning attacks on cultural organisations, daily newspapers, and cultural activists, he demanded freedom of cultural expression.
He also condemned the US-Israeli assault on Persian civilisation.
The Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka brought out the Baishakhi Shobhajatra at about 9:00am.
Starting from the north gate of the faculty, it proceeded towards the Shahbagh intersection, took a U-turn, passed the Anti-Violence Raju Memorial Sculpture and the Teacher-Student Centre, and moved through Doel Chattar and in front of Bangla Academy before ending back at the faculty.
Cultural affairs minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury attended the rally alongside the Dhaka University vice-chancellor and deans.
This year’s procession, themed ‘Nababarsher Oikatan, Ganatantrer Punrutthan’, featured five symbolic structures: a rooster, an elephant, a tepa putul (pressed doll), a pigeon, and a dotara (a traditional folk musical instrument).
Last year, the event was renamed ‘Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra’, replacing ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’, the title under which it had been widely celebrated since 1989. Originally known as ‘Ananda Shobhajatra’, the procession was later renamed ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’ and was recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Bangla Academy organised a series of events to celebrate Nababarsha, including a discussion, a book and craft fair, and a photography exhibition by Nasir Ali Mamun on its premises.
The academy held day-long events, including cultural programmes featuring dance, music, and folk performances, alongside a folk art exhibition.
Additionally, Wrishij Shilpi Gosthi, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpighosti, Barshabaran Parshad, Bangladesh Ganasangeet Samannay Parishad, Bangladesh Abriti Federation, Shurer Dhara, Kachi-Kachar Mela, Khelaghar, Palakaar, and DU’s Department of Theatre and Performance Studies organised various events in the capital to mark the day.
BBS reported that the historic ‘Jabbarer Bolikhela’ was held at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram, maintaining its century-old tradition.
Baishakhi Shobhajatra and cultural events were held in every district and upazila.
Local administrations organised folk fairs and essay competitions for students at the district and upazila levels, while celebrations were also arranged at the union level.
Educational institutions across the country celebrated the occasion in a festive atmosphere on their own initiatives.
Despite the government's directive for all Pahela Baishakh programmes to conclude by 6:00pm, several events at major venues across the country continued until nearly 8:00pm, drawing massive crowds.
