The nation will celebrate Pohela Boishakh, first day of the Bangla calendar, today amid fanfare and festivity.
True to the centuries-old tradition, people from all walks of life will throng different popular and historic spots at dawn in the capital and elsewhere across the country to hail the New Year 1422 with new hopes and aspirations for a better, peaceful year.
The government anticipates a celebration without any fear of terrorist activities.
“We are not anticipating any terrorist activities at Pohela Boishakh celebrations. Still, the law enforcement agencies are prepared for any untoward situation that may arise tomorrow [today],” he said at a press briefing yesterday after touring the Ramna Botomul area to inspect the security measures taken by the law enforcers.
“If anything does happen, I believe people will resist the perpetrators even before the law enforcers.”
In order to ensure security, he asked everyone to finish all programmes by 5:30pm.
Earlier on Sunday afternoon, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah gave similar instructions at a press briefing at DMP Media Centre. He also requested people not to pay heed to any rumour.
A similar mood of jubilation is also present in the West Bengal and other Bangla-speaking parts of India as they also celebrate Pohela Boishakh, but a day later. They will celebrate the Bangla New Year on Wednesday.
Mughal Emperor Akbar introduced the Bangla calendar in 1556 of the Gregorian calendar in a bid to streamline the timing of land tax collection in the then Subah Bangla region, the greater part of which falls under Bangladesh.
President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia have issued separate messages greeting the country’s people as well as all Bangla-speaking people across the globe on the occasion.
State-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar and the private TV channels and radio stations will air special programmes on the day.