A day fused with gaiety

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The nation welcomed Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla year 1415, on Monday amid fanfare and colourful festivity, leaving behind the gloom of the past year and expressing determination to move forward with its cultural heritage.

People from all strata of the society dressed in traditional costumes thronged Ramna Batamul, the main venue of the celebration, and Baishakhi fairs in the capital and elsewhere in the country that featured handicrafts symbolising Bangalee culture.

Bangla speaking people across the world also celebrated Pahela Baishakh with great enthusiasm and festivity.

Tight security measures were taken in and around Ramna Batamul to avert any untoward incident.

Over 12,000 members of law enforcement agencies in uniforms and plain clothes kept close watch on the movement of carnival-goers at the venue and around Dhaka University campus. Check posts, metal detectors and closed-circuit cameras were installed at festival venues and different other places in the city.

The day was a public holiday.

Mughal Emperor Akbar introduced the tradition of celebrating Bangla New Year marking the closure of yearly tax collection. Traders and shopkeepers would open “halkhata”–fresh accounts–on this day and serve sweetmeats to their clients on that occasion.

In the course of time, it evolved into a day of celebration and an integral part of the Bangalee culture and tradition and has been considered as the spirit of a non-communal festival as people irrespective of religion and caste celebrate the day.

A festive spirit gripped the capital and other parts of the country. Women in soothing white saris with red border and men in panjabee–the dresses decorated with Baishakhi motifs–welcomed the new year. Youths had their cheeks painted with the country’s map and other emblems that gave the celebration a special tone.

Braving scorching heat, thousands of revellers started pouring into streets, parks and open spaces from early in the morning to celebrate the biggest festival of the Bangalees. The crowd turned into a human sea in the afternoon when the mercury came down slightly. Many were seen returning homes even at midnight.

Many foreigners clad in traditional Bangalee dresses were also seen at and around the main venue.

Colourful rallies, musical programmes, fairs and cake festivals added colour to the celebration.

Varieties of handicrafts were displayed and sold at the Baishakhi fairs in different parts of the capital.

The celebration began with Rabindranath Tagore’s song “Esho hey Baishakh esho esho” performed by the artistes of Chhayanaut at the city’s Ramna Batamul at dawn. Thousands of men, women and children welcomed the new year with the tune of the song.

Chhayanaut has been organising the event for over three decades. It set up a huge stage for its trademark cultural programme at Ramna Batamul. The artistes of Chhayanaut sang, recited poems and essays, concluding their programme with the national anthem.

Students of the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University brought out the traditional procession–Mongol Shobhajatra–around 9:30am from their institute premises.

The Shobhajatra featuring giant replicas of tiger, cat, owl, tortoise and huge colourful masks seeks well-being of all. It was attended by tens of thousands of people.

Many ate “panta bhat” (rice soaked in water) with fried Hilsha, lentil, green chilli and onion at home, restaurants and at fairs to celebrate Pahela Baishakh.

Makeshift restaurants set up in different parks were, however, seen charging high prices for the delicacies.

Different organisations held cultural functions that kept the whole Dhaka University area throbbing with celebrating people.

Central Shaheed Minar, Dhanmondi, and Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban areas were also seen swarmed with people throughout the day.

The celebration this year, however, got gloomy as a balloon vendor at Dhanmondi died as his gas cylinder exploded around 12:15pm.

The Sector Commanders Forum, a platform of the sector commanders of the Liberation War, organised a mass signature-collecting programme at different points adjacent to Ramna Park to mobilise public support against the war criminals and anti-Liberation War forces.

State-owned Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and the private TV channels broadcast special programmes to mark Pahela Baishakh. Newspapers brought out special supplements.

Bangladesh missions abroad also celebrated the event. Bangladesh Embassy in the United States organised a cultural programme and a “pitha utshab” (cake festival) on April 13 evening. A huge number of expatriates attended the programme.

Ambassador M Humayun Kabir urged all to work together for the development and prosperity of Bangladesh.

Various other organisations including Dhaka University, Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, Pahela Baishakh 1415 Udjapan Parishad, Guardian Forum, East West University, Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation, Italy Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Chattagram Samity also held programmes in celebration of the day.

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