Md Moniruzzaman :
Men, women and kids wore a bright and colourful look in the traditional procession, songs, and fanfares for celebrating Bangla new year-1429 also known as Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla calendar on Thursday.
Adoring with flowers, women wearing white and red saris, men in Panjabi, thousands of people poured into the streets, parks and toric spots in the capital.
The festivities began early in the morning with the artists from Chhayanaut, a leading cultural organization of the country, welcoming the day with Tagore’s famous song ‘Esho hey Baishakh, esho, esho under the historic banyan tree at the Ramna Park.
The theme for this year’s Mangol Shobhajatra was “Nirmolo Koro Mongolo Kore Molin Mormo Muchhaye”.
The students and teachers of Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University (DU) brought out historical Mangal Shobhajatra led by vice-chancellor dr.Md. Akhteruzzaman around about 9:00am at Dhaka University Campus.
This year’s the procession brought out from the Sarak Deep area of the university’s Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) premises with colourful masks, painting canvases and shoras and it’s proceeded to VC Chatter as the road in front of the FFA has been narrowed due to the ongoing construction work of Metro Rail.
There will be four large four motifs – Tepa Putul, Fish, Bird and a horse-in the procession along with ten flamboyant masks, king and queen puppets and chorki.
Moreover, there was a high tight security measures including Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Dog Squad, Rapid Action Battalion(RAB), Civil Police and Uniformed Police.
Festive masks were also seen missing as police imposed ban on it. Besides, CCTV cameras and archways installed on the campus to ensure security during the festivities.
“We joined the procession to welcome and to celebrate bangla new year including all communities regardless of their ethnic, religious and linguistic differences,” Marufa Akter said. He come to the DU campus from Mohammadpur.
At 10.00 am Dhaka Mohanagar Khalaghor staged a cultural programme at Dhaka University Snacks (DUS) celebrating Pahela Baishakh.
