Celebrated across the country, Pohela Boishakh is the first day of the Bangla calendar.
This celebration is deep-rooted in cultural identity; it is a common symbol against all odds and communalism.
As dawn breaks, thousands swarm to the Ramna Batamul festival ground to ring in the Bangla New Year. This has been the tradition for years.
Chhayanaut, a leading cultural organization in the country, greets the new year with songs of Pohela Boishakh, poetry recitations, and traditional songs.
However, this year, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Chhayanaut has announced that the organization will not go forward with its programs.
Rather, Chhayanaut will strive to provide food and other necessities to the poor and the homeless, who are bearing the burnt of the pandemic, this year.
After the Liberation War of Bangladesh, this is only the second time Chhayanaut has cancelled its celebration of Pohela Boishakh.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged all to refrain from holding any mass program celebrating the Bangla New Year to stem the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.