‘Mangal’ name retained as 'Barshabaran Parishad' announces separate Baishakh Rally

A group of cultural activists and theatre practitioners has announced that they will organise a Pahela Baishakh procession retaining the name 'Mangal', emphasising the preservation of tradition.

The procession, arranged under the banner of Barshabaran Parishad, will take place on the morning of the first day of the Bengali New Year (1433), starting from Road 27 in Dhanmondi. The event will carry the slogan: 'awaken the traveller, who lies in unconscious slumber.'

Most of the organisers were previously involved in the 'Mangal Shovajatra' initiated by the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka during the 1990s.

Nadimul Islam, principal of Takshila School and one of the organisers, told 'Mangal Shovajatra is part of our national heritage. Since 2024, we have faced various obstacles. Even if the name is changed elsewhere, we will continue to preserve this tradition and culture.'

The procession traces its origins to the 1980s, when students of the University of Dhaka’s Faculty of Fine Arts began organising celebratory marches on Pahela Baishakh, later formalised as 'Mangal Shovajatra'. In 2016, UNESCO recognised it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Following the political upheaval of 5 August 2024, which led to the fall of the Awami League government, some religious groups began opposing the use of the term 'Mangal'. Subsequently, in 2025, the Faculty of Fine Arts dropped the word from its official procession, renaming it 'Barshabaran Ananda Shovajatra'.