Dhaka University (DU) will celebrate this year’s Pahela Boishakh with its traditional vibrant rally titled ‘Barshoboron Ananda Shobhajatra’, replacing the decades-old name ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’.
The announcement came at a press conference held at the Faculty of Fine Arts on Friday.
DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof Dr Sayma Haque Bidisha, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed, Treasurer Prof Dr M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, and Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts Prof Dr Azharul Islam Sheikh were present at the event.
This year’s theme, “Noboborshe Oikotaan, Fascibader Obosaan” (Harmony in New Year, End of Fascism), was finalised in a meeting chaired by the Vice-Chancellor on March 24 at the Senate Bhaban.
The organisers said this celebration by the Faculty of Fine Arts carries the message of cultural liberation, ensuring participation from all linguistic and ethnic communities living in Bangladesh.
They explained that the ‘Barshoboron Ananda Shobhajatra’ will reflect the nation’s rich cultural diversity, people’s aspirations and the spirit of a liberal, inclusive society.
The celebration of Pahela Boishakh is a move forward toward the goals of free expression, cultural practice and building a humane state, they said, adding that culture aims to shape a liberal, humanitarian society.
This year’s Boishakh will belong to everyone. All ethnic groups living across the country are now part of this grand celebration, they added.
From hills to plains, they will welcome the New Year together. Through this event, we hope to move past narrow, one-dimensional cultural practices and embrace a more inclusive and refined cultural spirit, the organisers mentioned.
They also said this year’s Boishakh marks a new beginning for the cultural space in Bangladesh, following a period of repression and fascism.
Speaking on the name change, Prof Azharul Islam Sheikh said, “As you know, this Boishakh celebration began in 1989 under the name ‘Ananda Shobhajatra’. It was later renamed ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’. So, we are calling this a restoration.”
The rally will begin at 9 am on April 14. The main procession will start from the Faculty of Fine Arts, go around Shahbagh intersection, pass the Raju sculpture and Shaheed Minar, move toward Doel Chattar and Bangla Academy and return to the Faculty of Fine Arts.
During the rally, roads from Bangla Motor, BIRDEM Hospital, Palashi and Matsya Bhaban toward Shahbagh and Charukola will remain closed. Entry for general people will be allowed via Nilkhet and Palashi roads.
Three entry gates of Ramna Park—Chobir Haat, behind the Raju sculpture, and Kalimandir gate—will be closed during the procession.
The front of the rally will feature 20 decorated horses, while the end will be marked by a rickshaw rally. General attendees will participate from the back.
For security reasons, Shahbagh and TSC metro stations will remain closed from 8 am until noon on Pahela Boishakh. No passengers will be able to get on or off at these stations during that period. Service will resume after the rally ends.
To enter other DU programmes inside the campus, participants are advised to use Palashi and Nilkhet routes. Students have also been instructed to carry their ID cards.
This year’s Shobhajatra will feature participation from 28 indigenous communities, private universities, teenage bands, indigenous artists, BAMBA musicians, Baul and folk performers, farmers’ groups, mainstream artist groups, Shadhona dance troupe, garment worker artists of Rongdhonu Shilpi Gosthi, women footballers, acrobatic performers, rickshaw rallies and horse carriages.
There will be seven large motifs this year: the face of fascism, a wooden tiger, hilsa fish, watermelon slices (symbolising the Palestinian struggle), a dove of peace, a palanquin, and a symbolic water bottle of a fictional character named Mugdha.
Medium-sized motifs will include 10 Sultani and Mughal-style masks, 20 colorful pinwheels, 8 palm-leaf soldiers, 5 birds, 4 fans, 20 horses, and 100 canvases depicting folk art.
Smaller motifs will include 80 faces of fascism, 200 tiger heads, 10 fishing traps (polo), 6 fish-catching baskets (chai), 20 bamboo hats (mathal), 5 ploughs, and 5 fish baskets (dola).
To make this celebration of Bangla Noboborsho 1432 a success, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Dhaka University administration, current and former students and law enforcement agencies are working together with dedication, passion, and responsibility, the organisers said.