Pahela Baishakh is the first day of Bangla new year celebrated at 14 April with total heart and participation is known as “ Nôbo Bôrsho ”. Thousands people on Friday poured into the streets, parks and public places across the country. This biggest festival of the Bangalees began with Tagore's song "Esho hey Baishakh Esho Esho" ( welcome new year, welcome, welcome ) sung by the artistes of Chhayanaut at the city's Ramna Batamul at early morning.

There was no room to move at the Chhayanaut celebrations at Ramna Batamul as the continuation since 1964, brave steps to protest against the Pakistani cultural accusation. Along Ramna Park, the Dhaka University campus, Central Shahid Minar, Dhanmondi, and Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban area were sea of peoples.

Local handicrafts, fashion material and artifacts were displayed and sold at Baishakhi Melas in different parts of the capital. Women particularly young girls dress up white saris with red borders and men clothed punjabis, fatua with cultural pride and fashion. The young and children had their cheeks painted with floral designs or slogans by students of fine arts, welcoming the new year.

Different organisations brought out processions and organized musical programmes, fairs and cake festivals to mark the day. Students of the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University took out traditional Mangal Shobhajatra in the morning with thousands of revelers wearing chequered masks. The colorful pageant was decorated with paper sculptures of a huge tiger, Doyel (magpie robin) which is the national bird, a rooster and a long snake, and masks of owl, tiger and fish.

In this national event, the security was high in alert by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and reserve police particularly in Roma for attack by fanatic groups. In the wide participation and festivities spirit Ain-O-Shalish Kendro, Proshika, Udichi etc. development organisations and cultural groups did procession and sympathized to people of Kansat in Chapainawabganj, 24 killed and is killing by police for legal demand to electricity. The Bangla Academy, the Shilpakala Academy, the Libertarian War Museum, Besho Shahitto Kendro organized special program in this day. The specialty of this year celebration, is to overcome the fear of bomb attack by religious extremists in high alert security.

As the history, the Pahela Baishakh, Bangla calendar has started since Emperor Akbar period. If was introduced to ease tax collection by matching to the local harvesting sessions. However celebrating by the Bangalee with the motivation to start yearly efforts with new vision and spirit. Generally, in countryside the businessperson as well as traders and shopkeepers open Halkhata (fresh accounts book) on this day and entertain the customers with sweets. Pôhela Boishakh is celebrated in a festive manner in both Bangladesh and West Bengal . In Bangladesh, Pôhela Boishakh is a public holiday, celebrated on April 14 according to the official amended calendar designed by the Bangla Academy but in West Bengal at 15 April.

Shahjahan Siraj
14 April, 2006, Dhaka