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Festival and Carnival
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Airs
and festivals have always played a significant role
in the life of the citizens of this country. They
derive from them a great amount of joy, entertainment
and color for life. While most of the festivals
have sprung from religious rituals, the fairs have
their roots in the very heart of the people, irrespective
of religion, caste or creed.
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| Pahela
Baishakh |
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The
advent of Bengali New Year is gaily observed throughout
the country. The Day (mid-April) is a public holiday.
Most colorful daylong gatherings along with arrangement
of cultural program and traditional “Panta”
at Ramna Park, Dhaka are a special feature of Pahela
Baishakh. Tournaments, boat races etc. are held
in cities and villages amidst great jubilation.
Many fairs are held in Dhaka and other towns and
villages. |
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| Independence
Day |
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March
26 is the day of Independence of Bangladesh. It
is the biggest state festival. This day is most
befittingly observed and the capital wears a festive
look. It is a public holiday. The citizens of Dhaka
wake up early in the morning with the booming of
guns heralding the day. Citizens including government
leaders and sociopolitical organizations and freedom
fighters place floral wreaths at the National Martyrs
Monument at Savar. |
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Bangla
Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and other
socio-cultural organizations hold cultural functions.
At night the main public buildings are tastefully
illuminated to give the capital city a dazzling
look. Similar functions are arranged in other parts
of the country. |
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| 21st
Feb, the National Mourning Day and World Mother Language
Day |
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21
February is observed throughout the country to pay
respect and homage to the sacred souls of the martyrs'
of Language Movement of 1952. Blood was shed on
this day at the Central Shahid Minar (near Dhaka
Medical College Hospital) area to establish Bangla
as a state language of the then Pakistan. All subsequent
movements including struggle for independence owe
their origin to the historic language movement.
The Shahid Minar (martyrs monument) is the symbol
of sacrifice for Bangla, the mother tongue. |
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The
day is closed holiday. Mourning procedure begin
in Dhaka at midnight with the song Amar vaier raktay
rangano ekushay February (21st February, the day
stained with my brothers' blood). Nationals pay
homage to the martyrs by placing flora wreaths at
the Shahid Minar. Very recently the day has been
declared World Mother Language Day by UNESCO. |
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| Eid-e-Miladunnabi |
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Eid-e-Miladunnabi
is the birth and death day of Prophet Muhammad (s).
He was born and died the same day on 12th Rabiul
Awal (Lunar Month). The day is national holiday,
national flag is flown atop public and private houses
and special food is served in orphanages, hospitals
and jails. At night important public buildings are
illuminated and milad mahfils are held. |
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| Eid-ul-Fitr |
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The
biggest Muslim festival observed throughout the
world. This is held on the day following the Ramadan
or the month of fasting. In Dhaka big congregations
are held at the National Eidgah and many mosques.
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| Eid-ul-Azha |
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”Eid-ul-Azha”
is the Second biggest festival of the Muslims. It
is held marking the Hajj in Mecca on the 10th Zilhaj,
the lunar month. Eid congregations are held throughout
the country. Animals are sacrificed in reminiscence
of Hazrat Ibrahim's (AM) preparedness for the supreme
sacrifice of his beloved son to Allah. It is a public
holiday. |
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| Muharram |
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Muharram
procession is a ceremonial mournful procession of
Muslim community. A large procession is brought
out from the Hussaini Dalan Imambara on 10th Muharram
in memory of the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussain
(RA) on this day at Karbala in Iraq. Same observations
are made elsewhere in the country. |
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| Durga
Puja |
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Durga
Puja is the biggest festival of the Hindu community
continues for ten days, the last three days being
culmination with the idol immersed in rivers. In
Dhaka the big celebrations are held at Dhakeswari
Temple, where a fair is also held and at the Ram
Krishna Mission. |
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| Christmas |
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Christmas,
popularly called "Bara Din (Big Day)",
is celebrated with pomp in Dhaka and elsewhere in
the country. Several day-long large gatherings are
held at St. Mary's Cathedral at Ramna, Portuguese
Church at Tejgaon, Church of Bangladesh (Protestant)
on Johnson Road and Bangladesh Baptist Sangha at
Sadarghat Dhaka. Functions include illumination
of churches, decorating Christmas tree and other
Christian festivities. |
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| Rabindra
& Nazrul Jayanti |
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Birth
anniversary of the noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore
on 25th Baishakh (May) and that of the National
Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on 11th Jaystha (May) are
observed throughout the country. Their death anniversaries
are also marked in the same way. Big gatherings
and song sessions organized by socio-cultural organizations
are salient features of the observance of the days.
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| Tagore is
the writer of our national anthem while National Poet
Kazi Nazrul Islam is famous as Rebel Poet. |
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| Langalbandh
Mela: |
At
a place near Sonargaon (about 27 km. from Dhaka)
a very attractive festival observed by the Hindu
Community every year on the last day of Chaittra
(last Bengali month) - mid April, when the devotees
take religious bath in the river. |
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There
are various other festivals that are habitually
observed by Bangalees all the year round. |
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