Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami brought in the Bengali New Year with a Pahela Baishakh procession in the capital on Tuesday, featuring traditional cultural symbols, folk music, and calls to preserve indigenous heritage.
Organized under the banner of the Deshiyo Sangskritik Sangsad, the procession began in front of the National Press Club and ended at Ramna Park. Participants included children as well as people from different age groups and professions.
The procession showcased various elements of rural Bengali life, including traditional fishing tools, a dheki, nets, and kula, while many children appeared in distinctly Bengali attire. The atmosphere turned festive with performances and chants inspired by patriotic songs as well as jari, sari, and bhatiyali music.
Before the procession, speakers at a gathering stressed the need to promote local culture and take effective steps against what they described as the growing influence of Western and foreign cultural trends. They also called for efforts to revive fading traditions and restore what they called the true spirit of Bengali identity.