Sheikh Arif Bulbon :
Pohela Baishakh has come once again. Bengali New Year, Pohela Baishakh, occurring on April 14, is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in Bangladesh.
Bangla New Year or Pohela Baishakh connects all ethnic Bengalis irrespective of religious and regional differences. After a whole year, it has come back with colours, joy and happiness to bless the Bengalis.
It will be time again to participate in fairs and festivals.
It will be a time to feast on traditional food. And, of course, it will be time to look exquisite in the colours of Baishakh (red and white).
If we walk inside the big malls or walk across the nearby neighbourhood boutique houses we will definitely be attracted by the similarity struck in the colours of the clothes put on display. But here is where creativity and art strikes in! Although in any fashion house, the colours of dresses on display are red and white- no two dresses are alike.
There is so much detail and work put on each dress that the colour theme is not at all monotonous but the trend and style in which each shop are competing to attract customer attraction brings in a whole new diversity in the collections. Then again, we have a deep attachment with these two colours during Baishakh. It represents our cultural roots and the festive times of Baishakh. This is why the colours and the dresses are even more endearing to us. The rich diversity of the collections by different designers is inevitably conspicuous.
A good amount of time before the auspicious event is spent by people looking for the perfect Baishakhi outfit. Motifs come to life and patterns dance gracefully on the traditional Baishakhi attires.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Pohela Baishakh the country’s boutique and fashion warehouses expect around 25 per cent more sales than the previous years on the occasion of the upcoming Bangla New Year, thanks to the introduction of a new festival allowance for the government employees amid political stable situation. The government has announced a festival allowance for the Bangla New Year for all its.
The government has announced a festival allowance for the Bangla New Year for all its employees to be calculated at 20 per cent of the basic pay. According to the Eight Pay Scale, the government has to pay Tk 317 crore as bonus to its employees.
While visiting several shopping spots in different areas of the capital, it was found that all the shops and boutique houses were over crowded just few days ahead of Bangla New Year scheduled to be observed on April 14 amid huge festivity.
Fashion houses and shops displayed a wide range of new collection of cloths with various colors and designs to attract the buyers, who bear the essence of Bengali culture in their minds.
While contacting with Fashion Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh (FEAB) President Azharul Haque Azad he said, “We are hoping over 20 per cent sales this year compared to the years before as the overall condition is different now and the government has declared the first-ever festival bonus for Bangla New Year amidst quiet political situation.”
He also said, “We have set a target of Tk 1,500 crore earnings from Baishakhi sales.”
The local fashion houses and manufacturers are ready to achieve the target as they have already brought a lot of new colorful designs to attract the buyers, he added.
“Since the flavor of the consumers is being changed all the time, we have also brought a lot of new products including Sarees, Panjabi, Salware and Kamiz designed by our designers,” manager of Bangla Mela at a city branch said.
Considering the scorching summer, all the items have also been made of pure cotton to give a comfortable feeling to the consumers, he added.
“Experiencing the previous year’s sluggish business, we have set a 30 per cent growth target for this year and we are very hopeful to attain it,” said Md Salauddin Ahmed, branch in-charge of Anjan’s.
Salauddin Ahmed also said, “We have designed some unique products like hundred percent cotton, half-silk, screen print and block print in the red and white and there are some special package for a family in a color, which includes dress for mother, father and babies.”
“Though the amount of festival bonus is not a big one, it, however, gives me a cushion to Bangla New year expense,” said Mustafizur Rahman Nabil while shopping at Bashundhara City.
However, private sector employees have expressed their utter dissatisfaction as the government did not give any sort of indication to the private sector employees in this regard.
“We are already under tremendous pressure due to the implementation of eight pay scales to bear the everyday burnt while extra benefits offered only to the government official pushed up the prices of products,” Md Habibur Rahman, a private service holder, said. n
Pohela Baishakh has come once again. Bengali New Year, Pohela Baishakh, occurring on April 14, is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in Bangladesh.
Bangla New Year or Pohela Baishakh connects all ethnic Bengalis irrespective of religious and regional differences. After a whole year, it has come back with colours, joy and happiness to bless the Bengalis.
It will be time again to participate in fairs and festivals.
It will be a time to feast on traditional food. And, of course, it will be time to look exquisite in the colours of Baishakh (red and white).
If we walk inside the big malls or walk across the nearby neighbourhood boutique houses we will definitely be attracted by the similarity struck in the colours of the clothes put on display. But here is where creativity and art strikes in! Although in any fashion house, the colours of dresses on display are red and white- no two dresses are alike.
There is so much detail and work put on each dress that the colour theme is not at all monotonous but the trend and style in which each shop are competing to attract customer attraction brings in a whole new diversity in the collections. Then again, we have a deep attachment with these two colours during Baishakh. It represents our cultural roots and the festive times of Baishakh. This is why the colours and the dresses are even more endearing to us. The rich diversity of the collections by different designers is inevitably conspicuous.
A good amount of time before the auspicious event is spent by people looking for the perfect Baishakhi outfit. Motifs come to life and patterns dance gracefully on the traditional Baishakhi attires.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Pohela Baishakh the country’s boutique and fashion warehouses expect around 25 per cent more sales than the previous years on the occasion of the upcoming Bangla New Year, thanks to the introduction of a new festival allowance for the government employees amid political stable situation. The government has announced a festival allowance for the Bangla New Year for all its.
The government has announced a festival allowance for the Bangla New Year for all its employees to be calculated at 20 per cent of the basic pay. According to the Eight Pay Scale, the government has to pay Tk 317 crore as bonus to its employees.
While visiting several shopping spots in different areas of the capital, it was found that all the shops and boutique houses were over crowded just few days ahead of Bangla New Year scheduled to be observed on April 14 amid huge festivity.
Fashion houses and shops displayed a wide range of new collection of cloths with various colors and designs to attract the buyers, who bear the essence of Bengali culture in their minds.
While contacting with Fashion Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh (FEAB) President Azharul Haque Azad he said, “We are hoping over 20 per cent sales this year compared to the years before as the overall condition is different now and the government has declared the first-ever festival bonus for Bangla New Year amidst quiet political situation.”
He also said, “We have set a target of Tk 1,500 crore earnings from Baishakhi sales.”
The local fashion houses and manufacturers are ready to achieve the target as they have already brought a lot of new colorful designs to attract the buyers, he added.
“Since the flavor of the consumers is being changed all the time, we have also brought a lot of new products including Sarees, Panjabi, Salware and Kamiz designed by our designers,” manager of Bangla Mela at a city branch said.
Considering the scorching summer, all the items have also been made of pure cotton to give a comfortable feeling to the consumers, he added.
“Experiencing the previous year’s sluggish business, we have set a 30 per cent growth target for this year and we are very hopeful to attain it,” said Md Salauddin Ahmed, branch in-charge of Anjan’s.
Salauddin Ahmed also said, “We have designed some unique products like hundred percent cotton, half-silk, screen print and block print in the red and white and there are some special package for a family in a color, which includes dress for mother, father and babies.”
“Though the amount of festival bonus is not a big one, it, however, gives me a cushion to Bangla New year expense,” said Mustafizur Rahman Nabil while shopping at Bashundhara City.
However, private sector employees have expressed their utter dissatisfaction as the government did not give any sort of indication to the private sector employees in this regard.
“We are already under tremendous pressure due to the implementation of eight pay scales to bear the everyday burnt while extra benefits offered only to the government official pushed up the prices of products,” Md Habibur Rahman, a private service holder, said. n
Models:
Shihab Khan, Ashraful Islam, Ringson Rinku, Hayat Khan Saba, Mishu and Kakoly.
Dress courtesy: Tolve, La Reeve
Designer: Marzia Mahzabin
Photo: Moin Ahamed
