Festival is a part of our cultural heritage: PM

Desk Report: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "There is no link between the celebration of Bangla Nababarsha (New Year) and the religion ... the festival is a part of (our) cultural heritage."

The premier said this while addressing an oath-taking ceremony of newly-elected Narsingdi District Council chairman Abdul Matin Bhuiyan at her office here on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, she urged the people to stay alert about spreading confusions regarding the celebration of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla New Year.

After the event, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangla Nababarsha is being celebrated since the Mughal regime and the custom of Mangal Shobhajatra (procession welcoming new year) started in the same regime.

"Mangal is not a word derived from the Hindu religion and Halkhata (opening new tally book) is being celebrated since the Mughal regime ... there is no scope for spreading confusions about it," she said.

The prime minister said Pahela Baishakh is a universal festival which is celebrated by the people of all faiths. "It's the only festival which the people of all religions celebrate together," she said.

She said Nababarsha is celebrated even in China and Iran and there is no justification to mix up it with religion.

Sheikh Hasina reiterated her call to the countrymen not to eat hilsha in Pahela Bashakh to help boost production of the country's national fish.

"I would like to call upon all not to catch and eat hilsha in Pahela Baishakh ... instead, you can take 'khichuri' (yellow rice), 'panta bhat' (soaked rice), vegetables, fried egg and burnt dry chilli," she said.

Earlier, the prime minister administered the oath of office of newly-elected Narsingdi District Council chairman Abdul Matin Bhuiyan.

Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Division Secretary Abdul Malek conducted the function, while LGRD Minister Engineer Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, PM's Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and Senior PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum were present.

BSS


risingbd/Dhaka/Apr 12, 2017/Nasim