RANGPUR, April 13, 2019 (BSS) – The district and upazilas administrations
have completed preparations to welcome ‘Pahela Baishakh’, the first day of
Bengali New Year-1426, with traditional festivities in Rangpur division
tomorrow.
Rangpur city, other seven district towns and 58 upazila headquarters in
the division have worn colourful looks to celebrate the traditional ‘Pahela
Baishakh’ festivities peacefully amid tight security measures before the
sunset.
Business community leaders said celebration of ‘Chaitra Sangkranti’, the
last day of the outgoing year, began today in hats, bazars, groceries and
important places in the division with traditional ‘Halkhata’ for renewal of
business accounts clearing dues.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Rangpur Enamul Habib said the district
administration, City Corporation, educational institutions and other
organisations will welcome ‘Pahela Baishakh’ with traditional festivities and
fanfare in the city.
Besides, government departments, non-governmental, socio-cultural,
professional, business and other organisations and private bodies have also
taken programmes to celebrate the auspicious occasion of the Bengali Nation.
The celebrations will begin at 6:30am with traditional “Baishakhi”
programmes to be performed simultaneously by artists of Shishu Academy and
Shilpokola Academy on Banyan Tree premises and Sommilito Sangskritik Jyote on
Central Shaheed Minar premises in the city.
At 9 am, the district administration will bring out the colourful
‘Baishakhi’ procession of ‘Mongal Shobhajatra’ carrying festoons, placards,
banners and singing ‘Baishakhi’ and folk songs from Zila School ground to
welcome the Bengali New Year-1426.
The procession will again return to Zila School ground after parading the
main city streets via Shaheed Sangku Smarani, Zahaj Company Crossing and
Betpotti areas in the city.
Thousands of people of all ages, wearing traditional dresses and carrying
festoons, placards, banners and singing ‘Esho Hey Baishakh, Esho Esho’ will
participate in the ‘Mongal Shobhajatra’ to welcome ‘Pahela Baishakh.’
The traditional ‘Baishakhi Mela’, cultural functions, staging dramas,
doll-dances, ‘Nagor Dola’, ‘Ha-Du-Du’, ‘Kabadi’, traditional ‘Lathi Khela’,
kite flying competitions and discussions will be arranged to welcome the
event.
“The authorities concerned will serve improved traditional Bengali diets to
the inmates of all hospitals, Rangpur Central Jail, orphanages, shishu
paribars, vagabond centres and orphanages in the district,” Habib said.
Rangpur Metropolitan Police, District Police, RAB-13 and other law
enforcement agencies will ensure leak-proof security during celebrations of
the ‘Baishakhi’ programmes those will complete before the sunset, he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram Sultana Pervin said similar programmes have
been chalked out to welcome ‘Pahela Baishakh’ with traditional festivities in
Kurigram district tomorrow.
“Besides, we have set up of a ‘Muktamancha’ on the DC Office premises and
hired two horse-driven ancient carts this time from older area of Dhaka city
aiming at flourishing prospective tourism sector in Kurigram district,”
Sultana added.
Officials of district administrations said similar programmes have been
taken to welcome ‘Pahela Baishakh’ at district and upazila towns of
Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari
districts in Rangpur division.