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.: Pahela Baishakh The begining of Bangla New Year
The advent of Bengali New Year is celebrated throughout the country with much pomp and funfair. The Day (mid-April) is a public holiday. People accord rushing reception for the day by bringing out rallies in Dhaka city with colourful dresses and festoons. The New Year begins at dawn, and the day is marked with various cultural activities: singing, processions, fairs and having traditional Panta at Ramna Park, Dhaka. | Pahela Baishakh |
Tournaments, boat races etc. are held in cities and villages amidst great jubilation. Traditionally, businesses starts on this day with a new ledger (known as Halkhata), cleaning out the old. Singers sing traditional songs welcoming the new years. Food vendors sell traditional foods and artisans sell traditional handicrafts. |
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.: Pahela Falgoon The first day of spring
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Another traditional day (though not a national holiday) is Pohela Falgoon, the first day of spring, which is observed across the city through traditional festivities and colourful programs. Spring fairs, cultural programs and exchanges of greetings and gifts among friends and beloved ones mark the day. People from all walks of life through the venues of different programs wearing colourful dresses including traditional 'Spring Saris' (worn by women) and 'Panjabi' | Pahela Falgoon |
(worn by Men). Other programs of the day include exchange of flowers, gifts and 'Rakhi-Bandhan', and poetry recitations. |
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.: Shaheed Dibash (the Martyrs' Day) The 21st February, International Mother Language Day
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The 21st day of February (Ekushey February) is being officially observed as the Shaheed Dibash (Martyrs' Day) since the emergence of Bangladesh. Nation pays respect and homage to the sacred souls of the martyrs' of Language Movement of 1952. On this day in 1952, students and youths rose in protest against the imposition of Urdu by the then government as the lone state language of Pakistan. | Shaheed Minar |
Blood was shed on this day at the Central Shaheed Minar (near Dhaka Medical College Hospital) area to establish Bangla as a state language of the then Pakistan. All subsequent movements including struggle for independence owe their origin to the historic language movement. The Shaheed Minar (martyrs monument) is the symbol of sacrifice for Bangla, the mother tongue. The day is closed holiday. Mourning procedure begin in Dhaka at midnight with the song "Amar vaier raktay rangano ekushay February" (21st February, the day stained with my brothers' blood). Nations pay respect to the martyrs by placing flowers wreaths at the Shaheed Minar. The day has also been accorded recognition by the UNESCO as the international mother language day in 1999, and the day is being observed accordingly throughout the world since 2000. |
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