After a gap of two years due to the pandemic, the country’s people celebrated Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla new year, with due fervour on Thursday. Sanctity of the holy month of Ramadan and security arrangements were maintained in the celebrations as well.
Celebrations to welcome the new year — organised by Chhayanaut — started at the capital’s Ramna Batamul, just as the first rays of the sun came shining through.
Eighty-five Chhayanaut artists of different ages performed at the programme this year, which ended with Chhayanaut’s Executive President Sarwar Ali’s speech.
“We were under ‘house arrest’ for the last two years, along with financial and social setbacks, and the pain of losing our close ones. After getting through the difficult times, this arrangement is to wake everyone up with a renewed sense of joy,” he said.
Mangal Shobhajatra was also brought out after two years at Dhaka University.
For the first time, the procession was brought out from TSC rather than DU’s Faculty of Fine Arts. It was set to return to TSC after passing by the area surrounding the vice chancellor’s residence, due to the ongoing construction work of the metro rail.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, DU Vice Chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman, dean of DU’s fine arts faculty Nisar Hossain, teachers and students of the university and people from all walks of life were present during the procession.
This year, the procession was arranged under the theme “Nirmal Koro Mangal Kore Molin Mormo Muchhaye”, which translates to an invitation to purify life and make it better by erasing the gloom and negativity of all sorts.
“The rhythm of our lives was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The theme of this year’s rally was chosen in the hopes of restoring normalcy,” said Nisar Hossain.
On the occasion, Bangla Academy organised lectures, poetry reading and cultural programmes. The new year lecture was delivered by folk literature researcher and playwright Saymon Zakaria. The academy’s folklore sub-division also organised performances of folk poetry and songs at Bhashashaheed Muktamanch.
The programmes were followed by a Baisakhi fair on Bangla Academy premises as a joint initiative of the academy and Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation. The fair was inaugurated by Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun.
Another programme was organised by Rishiz Shilpigoshthi in front of Shishu Park, which was dedicated to the organisation’s late president Fakir Alamgir and Sammilita Sangskritik Jote’s late general secretary Hassan Arif. The event was inaugurated by Bangla Academy’s president Selina Hossain.
