Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi has strongly protested the government’s decision to rename the traditional Pahela Baishakh procession, long known as “Mongol Shobhajatra”, warning that the move undermines the country’s secular cultural heritage.

In a joint statement, acting president Mahmud Selim and general secretary Amit Ranjan Dey demanded the immediate restoration of the name “Mongol Shobhajatra” and urged authorities not to yield to political or religious pressure in cultural matters.

The protest follows the government’s recent decision to rename the procession “Baishakhi Shobhajatra”, citing inclusivity and a desire to present it as a universal festival.

Udichi leaders described repeated attempts to alter the name as an “unwarranted interference” in a historic cultural tradition rooted in Bangladesh’s non-communal ethos.

They noted that the procession, which emerged during the anti-autocracy movement of the late 1980s, has since become a defining feature of Pahela Baishakh celebrations and a widely recognised cultural symbol at home and abroad.

In 2016, UNESCO inscribed “Mongol Shobhajatra” on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reinforcing its global cultural significance.

“The word ‘Mongol’ is not merely a name; it symbolises the triumph of good over evil, unity in diversity, and the aspiration for human liberation,” the statement said. “Removing it weakens the cultural foundation and denies historical continuity.”

The leaders added that Bangladesh’s cultural identity—built on pluralism, tolerance, and free thought—has earned international recognition, and preserving that spirit is a collective responsibility.

They argued that safeguarding such traditions is not only a cultural obligation but also deeply tied to the nation’s identity and existence.