A five-day multipurpose jute product fair has been organized in Old Dhaka under the patronage of the district administration to mark Pahela Baishakh. The fair, featuring 26 stalls, is being held at the premises of the Dhaka District Commissioner’s Office and will run daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., concluding on Thursday. Dhaka District Commissioner Md. Rezaul Karim inaugurated the event on Sunday.

Following the inauguration, Commissioner Karim invited visitors to explore the creativity of local jute artisans, emphasizing that jute is a part of Bangladesh’s heritage and can be used to produce a wide variety of beautiful products. He urged support for jute-based entrepreneurs to help expand the market both domestically and internationally.

Addressing residents of Old Dhaka, the commissioner said the fair aims to showcase the area’s cultural heritage despite limited open spaces. He added that a colorful rally will be held on Pahela Baishakh to highlight Old Dhaka’s traditions and encourage community participation in the festivities.

A gathering of parents and community members was held in Paris to promote Islamic education and awareness among the Bangladeshi diaspora in France. The event took place on Saturday at the second campus of the Multi Cultural (MC) Institute in the Overvilliers area, with the institute’s president and founding principal, Professor Badrul Bin Harun, presiding over the session.

Speakers at the meeting highlighted the MC Institute’s mission to foster moral and humanitarian values among expatriate children. Prominent community figures, educators, social workers, and professionals attended, emphasizing the importance of ethical education for the younger generation. Participants also expressed support for expanding the institute’s activities and called for collective cooperation to strengthen its programs.

During a fundraising segment, attendees pledged financial assistance for the institute’s development. The event concluded in a cordial atmosphere, with organizers expressing gratitude to guests and voicing optimism about conducting larger-scale initiatives in the future.

Dhaka University celebrated the Biju-Baisu-Sangrai-Bishu-Changkran-Sangkrain-Bihu-Baisu festival, the main social festival of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, with colorful events on Sunday. Organized by the university’s Jum Literature and Cultural Council under the theme “Let our rights be enriched in the weave of festivals,” the program included floral tributes, a vibrant rally, and the serving of traditional ‘pajon’. The event was inaugurated by Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr. Saima Haque Bidisha and chaired by the organization’s joint general secretary, Shantimoy Chakma.

Special guests included Jagannath Hall Provost Debashish Pal, Dhaka University Hill Alumni Association General Secretary Kriti Nishan Chakma, and Jagannath Hall Students’ Union General Secretary Sudipta Pramanik. In her speech, Professor Bidisha said the presence of indigenous students from hills and plains enriches the university’s diversity and beauty, and she assured consideration of a holiday for the festival in the future. Other speakers also expressed support for granting holidays during the festival period.

Students from Dhaka University and other institutions in the capital, along with their families, participated enthusiastically, making the daylong celebration joyful and inclusive.

The Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University has completed preparations to welcome the Bengali New Year with its traditional Pahela Baishakh procession, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on April 14. The event, themed “Harmony of the New Year, Revival of Democracy,” will feature vibrant motifs and cultural displays created by teachers and students working day and night. The procession will start from the faculty’s north gate, move through Shahbagh, TSC, and Doel Chattar, and return to the campus.

The faculty grounds are already festive, with students painting clay pots, making masks, and selling artworks to fund the event. This year’s procession will highlight five main motifs—rooster, dotara, wooden elephant, dove, and clay horse—symbolizing strength, creativity, peace, pride, and dynamism. Dean Professor Dr. Md. Azharul Islam Sheikh said the initiative aims to revive and preserve traditional roots while conveying contemporary social and cultural messages.

Strict security measures have been arranged, including CCTV, archways, and restricted entry points. Participants must carry identification, and certain items such as masks, bags, and fireworks are prohibited. Cultural programs will also be held on April 13, 15, and 16 as part of the celebrations.

The Bishu festival of the Tonchongya community began in Kaptai, Rangamati, with a colorful rally, flower floating on the Sangu River, and a discussion meeting on Sunday, April 12, 2026. The event was jointly organized by the Bangladesh Tonchongya Welfare Association Kaptai Regional Committee and the Devatachhari Raissyabili region. The rally started from Kaptai Upazila Karnaphuli Stadium at 9:30 a.m. and concluded at the Kaptai Upazila headquarters, with men and women participating through music, dance, and traditional attire.

Before the rally, community members dressed in new clothes and floated flowers on the Karnaphuli River to mark the beginning of the day. A discussion meeting followed at the Kaptai Upazila Officers’ Club premises, presided over by Chiranjit Tonchongya, Chairman of Wagga Union Parishad, and conducted by Rupamoy Tonchongya. Kaptai Upazila Executive Officer Md. Ruhul Amin attended as chief guest, highlighting the participation of all communities and the cultural significance of the event. Other speakers included local officials and community leaders.

The celebration reflected the Tonchongya community’s cultural unity and aspiration to promote their traditional Bishu festival to a wider audience.

Two Boishakhi fairs in Patiya, Chattogram, have continued past midnight despite government restrictions on electricity use due to a nationwide energy crisis. The government has shortened office hours and ordered all shops and businesses to close by 7 p.m. to conserve power. However, the fairs at Patiya Adarsha High School field and Ruku Garden Community Center have been brightly illuminated and active until late night, defying the directive.

The fairs began on April 10 and are scheduled to run daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. until April 20, according to organizers. Yet, reports indicate activities continued until 10 p.m. or later. Local residents and civic representatives have criticized the extended lighting and festivities, calling them inappropriate during a period of power shortages. They argue that such events increase pressure on the electricity supply when the government is emphasizing conservation.

Organizers have defended the fairs as cultural celebrations for the local community. Some admitted to exceeding permitted hours on the first day, citing misunderstanding of the government order, and claimed to have adjusted operations afterward.

Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur is hosting the four-day 'Shaheed Abu Sayeed Book Fair 2026' from April 12 to April 15. The event, announced through a university notice signed by Acting Registrar Professor Dr. Md. Ferdous Rahman, will take place at the university’s Independence Memorial Ground. Various publishing houses will participate, and the fair will remain open to all visitors.

Alongside the book fair, the university administration has arranged several programs to celebrate Chaitra Sankranti and the Bengali New Year 1433. A kite-flying competition will be held on April 13 at 4 p.m. at the football field, followed by a festive procession on April 14 at 9:15 a.m. from the south gate of the administrative building. A Baishakhi fair will take place in front of the academic buildings, and a cultural program will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the media square.

The book fair will be inaugurated at 3 p.m. by the father of Shaheed Abu Sayeed. Due to the current fuel shortage, the fair will operate daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with cultural events each afternoon.

The Manipuri Meitei community’s religious festival ‘Lai Haraoba’ concluded on Friday evening at the Manipuri Cultural Complex in Tetigaon, Adampur, Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar. The three-day celebration began on Wednesday and ended with vibrant performances and rituals reflecting the community’s deep spiritual traditions. According to Manipuri belief, the term ‘Lai Haraoba’ literally means ‘the merrymaking of the gods’ and is regarded as the origin of Manipuri dance.

The festival’s central theme revolved around ancient myths of creation, performed through ritual dances led by traditional priests and priestesses known as Maiba and Maibi. The event began with the invocation of deities from water bodies, followed by performances depicting stages of human life from settlement to death. Organizers described the festival as one of the most significant celebrations of the Manipuri people, symbolizing creation, divinity, cosmology, and harmony through music, chants, and distinctive dance forms such as Maibi Jagoi.

The festival reaffirmed the community’s cultural identity and religious heritage, emphasizing continuity of traditional practices within Bangladesh’s Manipuri population.

A Seerat Symposium and award ceremony organized by Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir was held at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) on Friday. The event took place at the university’s mini auditorium, where prizes were distributed among winners of a Seerat reading competition held during Ramadan and a video speech competition marking International Mother Language Day.

The program was presided over by SUST Chhatra Shibir president Masud Rana Tuhin and conducted by secretary Mujahidul Islam. Jalalabad International Madrasa principal Maulana Masuk Ahmed attended as the chief guest and discussed the life and ideals of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), emphasizing the importance of learning from his example. Tuhin stated that the competitions aimed to inspire students with the Prophet’s teachings on justice, tolerance, leadership, and humanity.

At the end of the event, winners received cash prizes, crests, and Seerat books. Three winners of the video speech competition and ten winners of the Seerat competition were honored, while other participants also received Seerat books.

An essay published in *Amar Desh* on April 11, 2026, examines the psychological and cultural dimensions of swearing in contemporary Bangladesh, focusing on how Gen Z has transformed taboo language into a form of protest. The piece discusses the book *July-er Graffiti o Gail Samagra*, describing it as a linguistic and visual record of a turbulent era where language became a weapon of resistance rather than mere communication.

The article situates this linguistic rebellion within the 2024 July uprising, when young people used slang and so-called “gail” expressions to challenge political stagnation and social hypocrisy. Drawing on psychological and sociological theories, it argues that swearing functions as both emotional release and symbolic defiance, reflecting frustration, humor, and solidarity. The essay references thinkers such as Freud, Foucault, and Bourdieu to explain how language can dismantle power structures and express collective dissent.

It concludes that Gen Z’s use of provocative language represents a broader cultural evolution. What was once dismissed as vulgarity has become a creative manifesto of resistance, signaling a generational shift in how truth, identity, and democracy are voiced in Bangladesh.

Member of Parliament Saeed Al Noman from Chattogram-10 has formally requested the inclusion of recitation as an independent division under the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Ordinance 2026. In a demi-official letter sent to Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury on Thursday, he emphasized that recitation is a vital part of the nation’s cultural identity and deserves institutional recognition. He confirmed the matter to the newspaper on Friday.

In his letter, Noman noted that although the number of divisions in the new ordinance has been increased from six to nine, recitation was not included as a separate category. He described this omission as unfortunate and concerning, arguing that it undermines an important cultural tradition. He highlighted that recitation plays a historic role in promoting the Bengali language and culture and helps nurture a humane and culturally aware generation.

Cultural enthusiasts across the country have welcomed the initiative, expressing hope that recognizing recitation as an independent division will invigorate the art form and strengthen Bangladesh’s literary and cultural continuity.

Dr. Mohar Ali’s article highlights Khandakar Fazle Rabbi’s critical analysis of Risley’s ethnographic theory on Bengali Muslims. Rabbi argued that Risley’s method of using nasal index as a racial marker was unjust toward Muslims because he measured Hindus by caste and occupation but treated Muslims as a single undifferentiated group. Rabbi found that if the same standards applied to Hindus were used for Muslims, the results would favor Muslims.

Rabbi revealed that Risley’s data collection was biased, as his assistant Kamod Behari Samanta admitted to measuring only lower-class Muslim prisoners from eastern Bengal, following Risley’s directive to exclude well-built or higher-status Muslims. Rabbi questioned how such selective sampling could yield fair conclusions. He further argued that the large Muslim population in Bengal stemmed from centuries of Muslim rule, with many present-day Muslims descending from the inhabitants of former Muslim capitals like Gaur, Rajmahal, Dhaka, and Murshidabad.

Rabbi urged authorities to officially investigate and record the true origins of Bengali Muslims. Although his critique influenced the 1901 census circular inviting local opinions, his book received no official support and remained obscure, while later works continued to echo the Risley-Beverly perspective.

The three-day Lai Haraoba festival of the Manipuri Meitei community began on Wednesday at the Cultural Complex in Tetigaon village, Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar. The event, which started at 12:30 p.m., will conclude on Friday, April 10, 2026. Renowned artists and researchers from Bangladesh and a group of performers and scholars from Manipur, India, are participating in the celebration.

According to the Lai Haraoba Steering Committee, Bangladesh, the festival is organized with financial support from UNESCO Bangladesh and the Bangladesh National Museum. It is being conducted by the committee in collaboration with Manipuri Cultural Complex, Bangladesh Pouroi Apokpa Marup Religious Cultural Organization, and Sadhan Bangladesh. The event aims to preserve and promote the intangible cultural heritage of the Manipuri community.

Lai Haraoba, meaning “festival of the gods,” is one of the oldest and most significant Manipuri festivals, celebrating creation, divinity, and harmony through rituals, music, chants, and traditional dances. The organizers invited people from all walks of life to join the celebration, which is part of a national initiative to highlight community-based traditional festivals across Bangladesh’s eight administrative divisions.

After a 15-year break, the traditional horse race of Saltha in Faridpur was held again on Tuesday, April 7. The event took place across a two-kilometer stretch from Chitaila Beel to Nishatla in Ballavdi Union, organized by local residents to preserve rural heritage. A total of nine horses participated in the competition, which attracted nearly one hundred thousand spectators of all ages.

In the contest, Jasim Molla’s horse won first prize, receiving a 26-inch LED television, while Nurul Islam’s horse took second place with a cash prize of 8,000 taka, and Belayet Hossain’s horse secured third place with 6,000 taka. Locals expressed visible joy at the revival of the event after such a long time and hoped it would become a regular tradition.

Participants and organizers emphasized that such events strengthen rural culture and social bonds. Local political leaders, union council members, and community figures attended the occasion, underscoring its communal significance.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’s Joint Secretary General, Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi, issued a statement on April 6, 2026, urging people to organize modest and shirk-free cultural rallies during the upcoming Pahela Baishakh celebrations. He noted that the Ministry of Culture decided to rename the traditional ‘Mangal’ and ‘Ananda’ processions as ‘Baishakhi Shovajatra’ and expressed doubt about how free the event would be from what he described as Hindu cultural influence.

In his statement, Islamabadi said that Islam does not oppose decent artistic or cultural practices as long as they do not conflict with the spirit of Tawheed. He emphasized that idol-making or displaying animal figures is fundamentally prohibited in Islam and encouraged Bengali Muslims to celebrate in a dignified manner that reflects their own cultural and religious identity. He also criticized what he called “Hindutvadi cultural fascism” and urged showcasing Muslim heritage, including symbols like horses, in cultural rallies.

Islamabadi further criticized secular cultural groups such as Udichi for promoting what he described as aggressive Bengali nationalism that excludes ethnic minorities, calling for a more inclusive and faith-conscious cultural expression.