RAJSHAHI, April 15, 2018 (BSS)- Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bengali New Year-1425, was celebrated in the city and its adjacent areas with a festive mood and enthusiasm like other parts of the country yesterday.
Braving heat weather, children, youths, men, women and activists of the socio-cultural, voluntary and professional organisations wearing traditional dresses came out on the streets after sunrise to welcome the Bengali New Year.
Besides, hundreds of men, women and children, in traditional colourful clothes, thronged Rajshahi College playground, Fudkipara open stage, Shishu Academy, Riverview Collectorate School playground and other venues especially the bank of the river Padma for celebrations of the occasion.
The programmes of the day were heralded in the city by inaugurating a colourful”Mongol Shobhajatra ” on Collegiate School premises. Rajshahi district administration arranged the well-decorated rally.
After parading some of the city streets, the rally was ended at the Riverview Collectorate School premises where a two-day “Boishakhi, Children Amusement Fair”, cultural function and blood donation programme were opened.
Akhter Jahan, MP, Divisional Commissioner Noor-Ur-Rahman, Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan, Deputy Commissioner SM Abdul Kader and Superintendent of Police Md Shahidullah were present in the opening programme.
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) hosted a daylong celebration programme. Mayor Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul attended many of the programmes.
Cultural groups and different organisations including Sammilita Sangskritik Jote arranged various programmes like musical functions, colourful marches and street side Baishakhi fairs in the city.
They brought out Baishakhi processions in the city streets carrying colourful festoons, placards and banners and singing Baishakhi songs, Palli Geeti, Gambhira, Jarigan, Vatiali, Baul, Lalon Geeti, Nazrul Geeti and Rabindra Sangeet and other folk and classical songs.
Baishakhi Melas, cultural functions, staging of dramas, doll-dances, Nagor Dola, kite flying competitions and discussions meeting were also arranged throughout the day.
Various other educational institutions including Rajshahi University, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi College and Rajshahi Medical College were seen celebrating the festival through separate daylong programmes.
Besides, inmates of hospitals, jail, safe home and SOS Shishu Pally were served improved diets marking the celebration. Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies adopted all-out tightened security measures making the daylong celebration a total success.