Writ filed in HC seeking permanent ban on Mangal Shobhajatra

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court Division of the Supreme Court seeking directives to permanently halt the traditional 'Mangal Shobhajatra' procession held on Pahela Baishakh.

Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan Mamun filed the petition on Sunday, April 5, in the public interest.

The petition argues that the Mangal Shobhajatra could potentially harm the faith, religious freedom, constitutional rights and communal harmony of the country's Muslim majority population.

According to the petition, the procession is not an ancient Bengali tradition. It began in 1989 under the name 'Ananda Shobhajatra' and was later incorporated into Pahela Baishakh celebrations in its current form.

The petition contends that carrying large effigies of birds, fish and animals while seeking 'Mangal' (well-being or auspiciousness) contradicts Islamic beliefs, as such prayers should be directed solely to Allah . It also claims several motifs used in the procession are historically associated with Hindu religious symbols, which could provoke religious resentment among Muslims and pose a risk of communal tension.

The petitioner further argues that state patronage of what he describes as an artificially created activity is unlawful and violates Article 41 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion . The continuation of such activities, he warns, threatens public safety, national stability and communal harmony.

The writ seeks directives restraining the respondents from organising, promoting, approving or facilitating the Mangal Shobhajatra in any manner during Pahela Baishakh.

The respondents named in the petition include the secretaries of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka, the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University and the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts.

The petitioner stated that the government has at times changed the name of the procession in response to public sentiment, only to revert to the original name later, and the writ seeks a final resolution on the matter.