The name of Mongol Shobhajatra arranged by Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Arts for the Bangla New Year has been changed to Borshoboron Anondo Shobhajatra.
From now on, the procession will be called by this name, as it was originally named.
The announcement came at a press conference at the Faculty of Fine Arts on Friday.
Additional announcements include the motifs and route of the procession.
The New Year Celebration Committee claims that it aims to restore the original name of the procession, as used during the first rally in 1989. They said that when the name was later changed, it did not happen in the same organic manner.
Professor Dr Azharul Islam Chanchal, convener of the committee said: "We are not changing the name. We are just restoring the original name of the celebration, used at its inception."
He also said that the word Mongol was used by the "fascist regime" in a way that left negative connotations in society.
"That is why we want to return to the original spirit, a time of spontaneous participation by all people, free from political aggression disguised as cultural practice," he added.
Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, vice-chancellor of DU, made similar remarks, saying that they are not changing the name, they are just going back to the original name.
"The main theme of the Anondo Shobhajatra carries two messages - an end to an authoritarian political system, and the spontaneous protest of the people against a distorted system," Niaz added.
The Borshoboron Anondo Shobhajatra will showcase various motifs. Participants will include 464 people from ethnic groups, artists, musicians, athletes, and performers.
The procession will feature decorated horses, rickshaws, and carriages celebrating Pohela Boishakh with cultural diversity.
As for the motifs of the procession, large motifs will include the face of fascism, a wooden tiger, hilsa fish, peace doves, a palanquin, Mugdho's water bottle, and a watermelon slice - which will be created to express solidarity with Palestine against Israel's mass killing.
For the medium-sized motifs, there will be 10 masks from the Sultani and Mughal eras, 20 colourful pinwheels, 8 palm-leaf soldiers, 5 tuhin birds, 4 fans, 20 horses, and a 100-feet-long folk-art canvas, also known as patachittra/scroll painting.
The small motifs will include 80 faces of fascism, 200 tiger heads, 10 fishing polo, 6 fish baskets (Chai), 20 mathal, 5 ploughs, and 5 fish containers (Dola).
These motifs will be used in this year's procession. At the front of the procession will be 8 beautifully decorated horses provided by the Bangladesh police force, along with journalists.
Additionally, 464 people from 28 different ethnic groups from the hills and plains will participate in the procession.
Following behind will be the Kabita Parishad, 100 students from private universities, 14 members of a teenage band from Bandarban, 100 band musicians affiliated with Bamba, 50 baul sadhus, 100 farmers and mainstream artists, 100 people from Sadhana Dance Organization, 50 workers from Rangdhanu Garment Workers' Artists Organization, 20 female footballers, 17 acrobatic performers, a rally of 20 rickshaws, and 5 horse-drawn carriages.
The Pohela Boishakh procession will follow a circular journey that will begin and end at the Faculty of Fine Arts.
Security arrangements have been implemented to ensure a safe celebration, with adjustments to police deployment that highlight the cultural nature of the event rather than a heavy security presence. Several access points will be temporarily blocked to manage crowds.
The procession will start in front of the Faculty of Fine Arts, go around Shahbag Square, and head toward TSC.
Then, keeping the Raju Sculpture to the right, it will turn right, keeping DUS square to the right, will proceed toward the Shaheed Minar. Afterward, keeping the Shaheed Minar to the right, it will pass through Doyel Chattar, move in front of Bangla Academy, and end at the Faculty of Fine Arts.
For security purposes, three roads will be blocked. One block will be at Bangla Motor intersection on the road coming from Bangla Motor toward Dhaka University, another in front of Birdem. The road from Palashi will be blocked at Aziz Supermarket.
The road from Motsho Bhaban will be blocked at Dhaka Club. For public participation in the procession, only the entrance roads to DU at Palashi and Nilkhet will remain open; the rest will be blocked.
During the procession, three gates of Suhrawardy Udyan will remain closed: the Chhobir Hat gate opposite the Faculty of Fine Arts, the TSC gate behind the Raju Sculpture, and the Kali Mandir gate opposite Bangla Academy.
This year, it has been decided not to position law enforcement at the front of the procession, although they will be present on both sides to ensure overall security.
DU Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed said at the press conference: "The law enforcement forces are typically positioned in a way that makes it look like a police rally. We want to move away from that, so it's clear this is a Pohela Boishakh rally."
It was also announced that for security and crowd control, the Shahbagh and TSC metro stations will remain closed from morning until afternoon. No passengers will board or disembark during this time. The stations will reopen after the procession ends.
After 5pm, no one will be allowed to enter the campus. No entry gates will remain open after 5pm, though exit gates will be opened.
Additionally, the walls at the front of the Faculty of Fine Arts have already been decorated with paintings inspired by the traditional "Shokher Hari" (decorative pots) motifs from Rajshahi.
On the day of Chaitra Sankranti, the Faculty of Fine Arts community will organize cultural programs from 3pm to 9pm. During the procession, patriotic songs will be performed by a combined arrangement of thirty artists accompanied by traditional piston flutes, Bengali drums, and cornet flutes.
