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.
Leaders of the quota reform movement have resolutely refused to negotiate with the government, insisting that their movement will persist until their demands are met.
In a Facebook post, Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the movement, declared, “No discussion through stepping onto blood.”
Asif Mahmud, another prominent leader, echoed this sentiment, stating, “There can be no dialogue with bullets. I would prefer death over this betrayal.”
He further elaborated, “On one side, there are bullets. On the other, there is a call for dialogue. We can’t sit for dialogue while stepping onto the blood of our brothers.”
Earlier, leaders of the quota reform movement accused the government of escalating the law and order situation towards violence, asserting that their movement was peaceful until the government’s intervention.
Vowing to continue their struggle, Asif Mahmud stated, “We will continue our protests till we achieve our demands for reformation of the quota system, reopening of the halls and campuses, making university campuses terror-free, withdrawing political forces from the campuses, and punishing the killers and attackers.”
He added, “The people of the country have encircled those who tried to corner us. No conspiracy will be able to derail our movement.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged both local and international investors to invest in the extraction of marine resources from Bangladesh’s extensive sea areas.
“In order to fortify the blue economy through the diverse utilization of our marine resources, I call upon local and foreign investors to seize the opportunity to invest in Bangladesh. This will enable us to harness more of our marine resources,” she announced.
The Prime Minister made these remarks during the inauguration of the Bangladesh International Aquaculture and Seafood Show-2024 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka.
She emphasized the importance of adhering to proper standards in the collection, distribution, and processing of fish to boost exports, aiming to make fish the country’s second-largest source of foreign currency.
Sheikh Hasina pointed out that her government has made limited progress in harvesting fish and other sea resources from the deep sea due to a lack of interest from local investors.
“Therefore, we need foreign investment to advance in this area. This is the reality we must face,” she noted.
She also suggested that both local and foreign investors can collaborate in joint ventures or invest separately in this sector to achieve better results.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate and moderately heavy rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across all eight divisions of the country over the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
In its weather bulletin issued this morning, the BMD stated, “Light to moderate rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty wind is expected in a few places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Additionally, one or two places in Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, and Barisal divisions may experience similar conditions, with moderately heavy falls anticipated at several locations in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions.”
The bulletin also highlighted that the current mild heat wave sweeping across the Rangpur division and the districts of Tangail, Chuadanga, Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra, and Netrokona may persist.
Daytime temperatures are expected to rise slightly, while nighttime temperatures are likely to remain nearly unchanged throughout the country.
On Wednesday, the highest recorded temperature was 36.7 degrees Celsius, observed in Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Rajarhat. The lowest temperature recorded today was 26.0 degrees Celsius, noted in Bandarban and Teknaf.
Over the last 24 hours, rainfall amounted to 16 mm in Bandarban.
For the capital, the sun will set at 6:48 pm today and rise at 5:21 am tomorrow.
