The people of Bangladesh are set to welcome spring with vibrant celebrations of Pohela Falgun, the first day of the Bangla month of Falgun, on Saturday.
Just like previous years, Pohela Falgun once again coincides with Valentine’s Day, adding an extra splash of colour and festivity to the occasion.
Although there is no official program this year from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka, students will celebrate the day in their own way, said Azaharul Islam Sheikh, acting dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, while speaking to Dhaka Tribune.
"Our faculty does not have any official program this time—we never do. But the tradition is that students gather and roam around. This tradition started at the fine arts faculty, and now it happens across the entire campus," he said.
As the Bangla calendar has been revised, Pohela Falgun—the first day of spring—now falls on Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated worldwide on February 14.
Under the previous Bangla calendar, Pohela Falgun used to fall on February 13.
The changes go beyond this single adjustment. The revised Bangla calendar has been designed to align several dates with historically significant events from 1971.
As a result, while the English calendar dates remain unchanged, the corresponding Bangla dates have shifted slightly. With the new system in place, the Bangla dates of national days will now remain consistent every year.
According to Bangla Academy, under the revised calendar, the first six months—from Boishakh to Ashwin—will have 31 days each, while Kartik to Magh will have 30 days.
Falgun will have 29 days, except in Gregorian leap years, when it will have 30 days.