All preparations have been made to celebrate Pohela Boiskhakh, the first day of the Bengali month of Baishakh, across the country.
Different sociocultural organisations and educational institutions in the port city have completed all preparations to celebrate Pohela Boishakh in Chittagong.
Like previous years, Sommilito Pohela Boishakh Udyapan Parishad has ogranised a two-day programme on DC Hill in the city in a bid to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year.
The programmes will feature folk songs, a group dance, puppet shows, local drama, photo exhibition, Bangali fashion show and other events.
The Institution of Fine Arts of Chittagong University will bring out Mongol Shobhajatra in the city.
This year, the theme of Mongol Shobhajatra is “Boishakhe Chole Noborupe Jagi,” to be brought out from the institution’s premises on Chattesari road while another will be brought out from the CU campus at the same time, said Nasima Akhtar, director of CU Fine Arts Institution.
While visiting the institution yesterday, the students were seen busy painting and crafting their materials to celebrate the new year.
Condemning the political impasse, the students have made several masks which carry the sign of political violence.
Programmes displaying different folk cultures, like indigenous dances, folk songs and puppet shows will be held at District Shilpakala Academy while Central Railway Building (CRB) will also wear a festive look.
Markets and shopping malls are colourfully decorated with various Boishakhi products, and offer special discounts to their customers.
Hotels and restaurants also offer special packages on the occasion.
In Sylhet, preparations are ongoing to arrange fairs at Shahjalal Science and Technology University, MCJ College, and Street Sangskrito College.
The Sylhet City Corporation has arranged a fair where a good number of stalls have been set up.
Polimol Pal, a potter, said he had brought products of Tk1 lakh to sell in the fair.
On the occasion of Pohela Boishakh, a concert will be held at MCJ College.
In Barisal, preparations for "Chaitra Sangkranti" and "Pohela Boishakh" with various colourful programmes and enthusiasm for bidding farewell to 1421 and welcoming Bangla New Year 1422 is going on at full swing.
Volunteers of Charukala are working 24-hours to organise a traditional "Mongol Shobhajatra" from the Brojo Mohun Bidyaloy grounds.
Charukala Barisal will also arrange a two-day folk cultural fair, and painting competition at Barisal City College grounds, focusing on folk and heritage.
Udichi Barisal unit will also arrange another "Mongol Shobhajatra" for the second time.
Shohidul Alam, deputy commissioner, and Shoibal Kanti Chowdhury, Metropolitan Police commissioner of Barisal, will also take part in the colourful procession.
In Khulna, elaborate programmes have been organised to celebrate the day.
The district administration, different government, non-government, sociocultural, professional and other private bodies and educational institutions will celebrate the daylong programmes.
The programme will begin with a colourful ceremony welcoming Pohela Boishakh, which is popularly known as “Borshaboron with Rakhibondhon” in front of Khulna Circuit House in the morning.
The other programmes of the day include a colourful rally, Boishakhi fair, sports competitions, poetry recitation, discussion, cultural shows and musical soirees.
Khulna University (KU), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet), Khulna Medical College, Different Private Universities, Sammilto Sangskritik Jote, Khulna Union of Journalists (KUJ) and other organisations will bring out Boishakhi processions with colourful festoons, placards, and banners.
Later, they will organise a discussion and cultural function to be followed by the Bangalees' traditional breakfast “Panta Ilish.”
Business establishments, both in rural and urban areas, will arrange a traditional "Halkhata" and distribute sweets among customers to renew their old accounts.
JU arranges three-day festival
The authorities of Jahangirnagar University (JU) have arranged a three-day festival from Tuesday till Thursday on the occasion of celebrating the first day of the Bangla New Year "Pahela Baishakh."
In the meantime, different departments, institutes, and dormitories have individually arranged different events and programmes to celebrate the Bengali New Year, the source said.
