Rakuten Viber comes up with idea to celebrate Pahela Baishakh virtually

Popular free messaging and calling app Rakuten Viber has recently taken an initiative to celebrate Bangla Noboborsho (New Year) virtually so that there are celebrations while maintaining social distance amidst the pandemic. To that end, Viber has launched a local, new year chatbot, said a press release.

Pahela Baishakh or Bangla Noboborsho is the first day of the Bangla calendar and one of the biggest festivals of Bangladeshi people. It is celebrated on 14 April in Bangladesh as a gesture to pay tribute to Bengali heritage by Bangalees, irrespective of their religious faiths, caste, and all other differences. It is one of the momentous occasions in Bangladesh when people commemorate a lot of traditions. But, the fresh surge of coronavirus infection has jeopardised the celebration.

Keeping that in mind, during this festival season, Viber has converted its local country bot into ‘Shubho Noboborsho Chatbot,’ by means of which users can send wishes and play a scratch & win game.

David Tse, the Senior Director for Rakuten Viber APAC, said in this regard, “This chatbot is an endeavour from Viber to celebrate the local new year. At Viber, we believe in allowing people to connect with friends and family - no matter the circumstances. This year, physical celebrations might be limited but we also understand the significance of this day and the emotion associated with this festival. That’s why we have launched this new chatbot to rejuvenate the souls of Bangladeshi users.”

Apart from sending good wishes, Viber users can also win exciting prizes through their participation. Prizes include V/O coupons, paid sticker pack, 2 smartphones, and 5 Bluetooth speakers. Users will be able to play this scratch & win game till 20 April 2021.