Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has announced a month-long festival titled “Hridoye Dhaka 416” (Dhaka in the Heart) to celebrate the capital’s 416th anniversary and mark August 1 as “Dhaka Day”.

Running from August 1 to September 5, the festival will feature cultural programmes, heritage events, sports, exhibitions and other initiatives aimed at fostering a stronger sense of connection to and responsibility for the capital among residents.

DSCC Administrator Abdus Salam announced the programme at a press conference at the Nagar Bhaban auditorium today.

“Many of us live in Dhaka -- some by birth, others for work or education. Some are permanent residents, while others stay here temporarily. But this city has given all of us shelter, and in that sense, we are all citizens of Dhaka,” Salam said.

He said many residents had yet to develop a strong connection with the capital’s history, heritage and culture, which he linked to a lack of civic responsibility in areas such as waste management, mosquito control, traffic management and environmental protection.

“The aim of this festival is to introduce citizens to Dhaka’s history, heritage and culture and create a sense of affection and responsibility towards the city in their hearts,” he said.

As part of the programme, a heritage cycling rally will be held on August 14 from Dhaka Gate to Nagar Bhaban, followed by the “Dhaka Heritage Run” on August 15 from Motijheel Shapla Chattar to the Buriganga stage at Sadarghat.

A theatre festival featuring plays based on Dhaka will be held at the Zahir Raihan Cultural Centre in Sutrapur from August 16 to 22, while another series of plays on Dhaka will be staged at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy from August 21 to 28.

A traditional boat race will take place on August 21 from Kholamora Ghat to Wise Ghat. On the same day, tourists will be offered a heritage cruise on a century-old vessel from Sadarghat.

The festival will also feature screenings of old films on Dhaka at Madhumita Cinema Hall on August 22, while Bangladesh Television will broadcast old dramas and other programmes related to Dhaka from August 23 to 29.

A special “Great Dhaka Sale” will be held at shopping centres across the capital from August 21 to 30.

Under the “Love Letter to Dhaka” initiative, citizens will be invited to write letters expressing their emotions and love for the city during the same period.

On August 24, visitors will have an opportunity to see the city from the air through a helicopter-based “bird’s-eye view” programme at the helipad of Zainul Haque Sikder Women’s Medical College and Hospital in north Dhanmondi.

A colourful “Dhaka Procession” featuring horse-drawn carriages, rickshaws, vintage cars and palanquins will travel from Lakshmibazar to Nagar Bhaban on August 28.

The festival’s formal inauguration is scheduled for August 29 at Lalbagh Fort at 4:00pm, according to the DSCC. A special cleanliness, mosquito-control and tree-plantation campaign under the “Clean City, Green City” initiative will also be launched on the occasion.

The following day, Lalbagh Fort will host a kite festival, a special “Dhaka Adda” and a cultural programme featuring traditional qawwali in the evening.

On September 1, an award ceremony for children and children with special needs who participated in an art competition will be held at Shilpakala Academy. An open art camp will also be organised in the presence of renowned artists.

The festival will conclude on September 5 with a traditional “Panchayeti Adda” of Old Dhaka residents at Alamganj Jetty.

A festival marking 70 years of Dhaka cinema, organised by Channel i, was also held from August 2 to 6.

Explaining the decision to observe August 1 as Dhaka Day, Salam said that Dhaka began its journey as the capital of Subah Bangla in 1610, while the establishment of the Dhaka Municipality on August 1, 1864 marked the beginning of modern urban administration in the city.

“The city administration has evolved over time and has now become the Dhaka South City Corporation. Therefore, we have decided to observe August 1 as Dhaka Day,” he said.

Salam said Dhaka had been a witness to every major chapter of Bangladesh’s history, from the Language Movement and the Liberation War to the mass uprising of 1990 and the 2024 student-led mass uprising.

“Building a clean, green and modern capital while carrying this heritage forward is the goal of the Dhaka South City Corporation,” he said.