National
Nation set to observe Pahela Baishakh tomorrow
The country is gearing up to celebrate Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali New Year-1431, tomorrow, embracing the rich cultural values and rituals of the Bangalees. A significant turnout is expected to participate in the “Nabo Barsho” festivities nationwide, especially in the capital city.
Pahela Baishakh stands as one of the most vibrant festivals, marking the farewell to the old year and the warm welcome of the New Year. People from all walks of life come together adorned in traditional Bengali attire. Women don white sarees with red borders, complemented by bangles, flowers, and “tips,” while men opt for white pyjamas paired with panjabis or kurtas.
The day’s festivities kick off in the capital with Chhayanat, a leading cultural organization, hosting a musical soiree at Ramna Batamul at dawn. Following tradition, the iconic Mangal Shobhajatra will commence from Dhaka University’s Fine Arts Faculty premises in the morning.
The Mangal Shobhajatra holds immense significance, spreading its cultural essence from divisional to grassroots levels. Its global recognition was solidified in 2016 when UNESCO inscribed it on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Business communities, particularly in rural areas, eagerly prepare to inaugurate their traditional ‘Halkhata’ or new account books. It’s a day marked by traders offering sweets to customers, fostering goodwill and prosperity.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are set to extend their greetings to the nation on the eve of Pahela Baishakh through separate messages. Various government and non-government organizations, alongside socio-cultural platforms, will host diverse programs, including seminars, exhibitions, and competitions, to celebrate the festival.
Local administrations will orchestrate quiz competitions, cultural events, and folk fairs, adding to the festive fervor. Across the city, residents will begin the day with a traditional breakfast of ‘panta bhat’ (soaked rice), accompanied by green chili, onion, and fried fish at popular spots like Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Uddyan, and Dhaka University Campus.
Inclusivity marks the occasion, with museums and archaeological sites welcoming visitors, and special provisions made for children, students, and individuals with disabilities or autism to visit museums free of charge. Improved traditional food will be distributed to jail inmates, hospital patients, and orphanages as part of the festivities.
Bangladesh missions abroad will also organize various programs to embrace the Bengali New Year. Extensive security measures will be implemented by law enforcement agencies nationwide to ensure a safe celebration.
Pahela Baishakh is observed as a public holiday, with Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, and private TV and radio channels airing special programs to highlight its significance. Historically, the Bengali calendar’s roots trace back to King Shashanka in the seventh century, later modified by Mughal Emperor Akbar to align with agricultural cycles and tax collection practices.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
Two separate murder cases were filed today in connection with the deaths of a private service holder and a Madrasa student during the anti-discrimination student movement.
The first case was lodged by Ridwan Ahmed with Panchlaish police station, accusing former ministers Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, and 127 others for the death of his nephew Sujan, 14. Sujan, the son of Belal Hossain from Beramara village in Noakhali’s Sadar Thana, was a student at Al Jamirul Hayat Madrasa in the city’s Chandgaon area. He was fatally shot in the Muradpur area on July 18.
The second case was filed by Jamal Uddin at Doublemooring police station, accusing 225 individuals, including Dr. Hasan Mahmud and Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, for the killing of his elder brother Alam, a private service holder, on August 5.
