DHAKA, APRIL 16, 2019 (BSS) – Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali
New Year, was celebrated in London with much enthusiasm and traditional
festivities.
With the initiative of Bangladesh High Commissioner in London Saida Muna
Tasneem, the programme marking the Pahela Baishakh started with the song
“Esho Hey Baishakh Esho Esho” at the Bangladesh Bhaban, said a press release
received here today.
One of the main attractions of the event was the presence of Sheikh
Rehana, daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and also younger sister
of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Rehana exchanged the Bengali New Year’s greetings with the visitors and
enjoyed the entire event with them.
The programme included songs and recitation of poems by Bangladeshi-
British artists, sports and arrangements of different types of traditional
Bengali foods such as Pitha-Puli, Jal-Muri, Chotpati and panta-bhat (soaked
rice).
In the welcome speech, Bangladesh High Commissioner in London Tasneem
urged all to uphold Bangalee’s thousand years old traditions across the globe
as the Bangabandhu wanted to establish Bangladesh as a secular state based on
the culture of the Bangalee.
On this occasion, the nature and tradition of Bangladesh was highlighted
through an exhibition of British-Bangladeshi artist S M Assad Ullah while the
entire venue was decorated with Bengali traditional design, masks, posters
and festoons.
Bangladeshi-British community representative Sultan Mahmud Sharif and
other prominent Bangalee from different occupations in the United Kingdom
were present on the occasion.