News Desk : dhakamirror.com
Bangladesh welcomed the Bengali New Year 1430 on Friday as Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the year, was celebrated in Dhaka as elsewhere across the country with festivity and enthusiasm by holding outdoor programmes amid tight security measures.
Different political and socio-cultural organisations and educational institutions in the capital and other places of the country organised various programmes, including music shows, traditional music performances, recitations, theatre shows, exhibitions and dances to mark the Bengali New Year.
People from all walks of life and ages joined the celebrations while women adorned themselves with colourful saris and men wore colorful Punjabis.
People’s movement was lower compared with other years in the capital due to the excessive heat wave and the day coincides with the Jummah prayers in the month of Ramadan, the fasting month for the Muslims.
The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy, Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University, Theatre and Performance Studies Department of Dhaka University, Chhayanaut and other institutions and organisations arranged diverse events across the country to mark the day.
The welcoming ceremony of Bangla New Year 1430 began at Ramna Batamul with the first rays of Friday’s morning sun by Chhayanaut.
The programme started with an instrumental recital which played Ahir Bhairab raga. The two-hour programme featured solo and group songs along with poem recitations.
Dhaka University brought out traditional Mangal Shobhajatra, a colourful procession, which has been organised since 1989 to celebrate Bangla New Year.
This year, the procession carried the slogan ‘Barisha Dhara Majhe Shantir Bari’.
The UNESCO in 2016 recognised the Mangal Shobhajatra as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Besides many colourful folk motifs, the procession featured six structures, namely a peacock, a tiger, an elephant, a nilgai, a sheep alongside a structure of a mother with her child.
The procession started at about 9:00am from the faculty of fine arts of DU and ended there at about 10:00am.
Speaking at an event at Bangla Academy, state minister for cultural affairs KM Khalid Hossain said that religion and culture was totally different thing and there was no conflict with one another.
Cultural organisation Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi welcomed Bangla New Year 1930 by organising a programme in front of Shishu Park in Shahbag area at about 7:30am which features songs, recitations, dance recitals, discussions and others.
Bangla Academy director general Mohammad Nurul Huda was present as chief guest while Sammilita Sangskritik Jote president Ghulam Quddus and Charushilpi Sangsad general secretary Kamal Pasha Chowdhury were present as special guests.
Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi president Suraiya Alamgir presided over the event, which was moderated by Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi vice-president Fakir Siraj.
Bangla Academy lifted the curtain of the Pahela Baishakh celebration programme through songs on its premises at about 8:00am.
The academy’s director general Nurul Huda delivered the welcome speech while North Bengal International University pro-vice-chancellor Md Abdul Jalil delivered the keynote speech at the event presided over by Bangla Academy president Selina Hossain.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organised a special programme marking Pahela Baishakh at the National Theatre Hall Auditorium at 10:00 am.
The programme featured different cultural shows, discussions and a procession.
The BSA’s cultural programme comprises Tagore’s songs, Nazrul songs, folk songs, baul songs, Boishabi dance, Dhamail dance, recitations and others.
A five-day group art exhibition about the cultural heritage and motifs of Bengali was also inaugurated at the national art gallery of BSA.
Besides, different government organisations under the cultural affairs ministry, namely Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Bangladesh National Museum and Kabi Nazrul Institute, among others, celebrated Pahela Baishakh through elaborate programmes.
Department of performance studies, University of Dhaka arranged a folk based performance including song, dance and theatre shows on their premise.
State minister for cultural affairs KM Khalid Hossain and Dhaka University VC Md Aktaruzzaman attended the procession.
Sammilita Pahela Baishakh Udjapan Parishad organised a cultural event titled ‘Baisakhi Utsav’ at DC Hill in Chattagram.
The programme started at 6.30am which featured songs, dance and poem recitation.
– Input from New Age was used in this article.
