Pahela Baishakh Procession Renamed Baishakhi Shobhajatra

The traditional Pahela Baishakh procession organised by the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University has been officially renamed ‘Baishakhi Shobhajatra’, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury announced on Sunday.

The announcement came after a meeting at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs on preparations for celebrating Pahela Baishakh and Baishabi, the major New Year festival observed by ethnic minority communities.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the minister said the decision was taken with the aim of promoting social harmony and ending the long-running debate over the procession’s name.

“We do not want any kind of division or conflict in society. Our main goal is unity amidst diversity. We want to find a permanent solution to the controversy surrounding the name of the procession,” he said.

The procession, one of the most iconic features of Pahela Baishakh celebrations in Bangladesh, has undergone several name changes in recent years.

During the tenure of the immediate past interim government, it was renamed ‘Ananda Shobhajatra’. Before that, it had long been known as ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’, a name that gained international recognition and became closely associated with Bangladesh’s Bengali New Year celebrations.

The latest renaming is expected to draw public attention as preparations intensify for the country’s biggest cultural festival, celebrated every year on April 14 with colourful processions, music, traditional attire and various cultural events.

The procession led by Dhaka University’s Faculty of Fine Arts remains a central attraction of the festivities, symbolising the country’s rich cultural heritage and spirit of inclusiveness.