Pahela Baishakh around the country

Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla New Year, is celebrated throughout the country with colourful festivity and fanfare. Cultural organisations arrange music, dances and discussions to the mark one of the most beloved festivals of Bangalees. The traditional Baishakhi Mela fairs are also arranged. Prothom Alo correspondents across the country sent in news about the Pahela Baishakh programmes.

Chottagram

Final preparations are on in Chottagram to celebrate the first day of the Bangla New Year.

Local administration and different cultural organisations have taken up programmes at the Charukola Institution, DC Hill, CRB and Chottagram University.

Teachers and students will bring out the Mangal Shobhajatra parade from the city’s Charukola Institute. Programmes will also be held on Friday to bid farewell to the outgoing year. 

Programmes at DC Hill will start at 6am. There will be traditional songs, poetry recitation and dances and discussions.

Programmes in CRB will be arranged at 7 am in the morning. There will be traditional and mystic Baul music, dance and poetry recitation in the day-long programme.   

Rajshahi

The administration will arrange Mangal Shobhajatra. Sammilita Sangskritik Jote will arrange a Mangal Shobhajatra from the city’s Alupotti area. Ila Mitra Shilpi Sangha and Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan Parishad will jointly organise cultural programmes including music, poetry recitation and dances at the Talaimari Shaheed Minar in the town.

In the afternoon, some organisations will arrange cultural programmes at Bhubon Mohon Park in the city.

The traditional fair Baishakhi Mela will be organised in the Theme Omar Plaza in New Market area.

Another Baishakhi Mela will be arranged at Peergachha Primary School playground under Bagha upazila. In this fair, there will be discussions and cultural programmes.

Another three-day long Baishakhi Mela will be organised at Belgachi village under Baghaupazila. There will be discussions, cultural programmes and Baul music at the mela. 

Barishal

Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi, Barishal, will bring out the Mangal Shobhajatra at BM School grounds. The organisation will also arrange a Baishakhi Mela. Udichi's Barisal unit president Biswanath Das Munshi told Prothom Alo that this year Udichi will celebrate its 36th anniversary of arranging Baishakhi Mela and 26th anniversary of Mangal Shobhajatra. He said that all preparations are done for the celebrations. The programme will start at 6:30 am.

The district administration will also bring out Mangal Shobhajatra. Besides that, a three-day Baishakhi festival will be arranged at Shaheed Minar and a Baishakhi Mela will be arranged at Planet World.

Khulna

Khulna district administration will welcome Bangla New Year in the morning on Saturday. The programme will be arranged in Shibbari Mor divisional museum in the city.

The administration will bring Mangal Shobhajatra from the Officers’ Club at 7 am in the morning and they will organise cultural programmes and a panta-bhat (soaked-rice) festival at 7:30 am.There will be a three-day long Baishakhi Mela at Shishu Park starting from Friday. Khulna Press Club will also celebrate the first day of Bangla New Year at the Press Club premises.

Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi Khulna unit will arrange cultural programmes at Khulna Circuit House.  

Sylhet

Sylhet District administration will bring out Mangal Shobhajatra from from its office at 8 am. People will welcome the Bangla New year at Shilpakala Academy premises at 1:30 pm.

Sommilito Natya Parishad will arrange cultural programmes at Keane Bridge area in Chadnighat in Sylhet. Its general secretary Rajat Kanti Gupta told Prothom Alo that the programmes will start at 4:30 pm on Saturday. 

Rong Pencil Academy will bring out Mangal Shobhajatra from at 10 am from the city’s Sobhanighat area.

Anondolok Sylhet will organise their cultural programme at 6:30 am and will continue till 1:30 pm. Its director Rana Kumar Sinha told Prothom Alo that at least 15 cultural organisations will perform at the their programmes. He also said that two prominent singers from India will also perform.