At last, the name of the Mangal Shobhajatra has been changed. Last Friday, the authorities of Dhaka University announced that the new name of the procession would be Barshoboron Ananda Shobhajatra (New Year Celebration Procession). Some people have expressed different opinions regarding this change, but I believe it will not disrupt the spirit of the New Year festival.

Pahela Baishakh is the principal festival of the Bengali people. In the air of welcoming the new year, Bengalis immerse themselves in festivity. Among the major festivals of the people of Bangladesh, Pahela Baishakh holds a unique position. Not only in Bangladesh — nations around the world celebrate the New Year in their own ways. The Gregorian New Year is marked by festivities worldwide. Muslim-majority countries celebrate the Arabic New Year on a grand scale. In recent years, the Chinese New Year has also been celebrated with great enthusiasm. Such national and ethnic festivals are ancient and spontaneous. 

Yet, this time, efforts are being made to stir up questions and unnecessary debates centring Pahela Baishakh. The interim government, however, has handled the situation with great prudence. The effort to free Pahela Baishakh from political influence and turn it into a festival for the people is praiseworthy. The former government had tried to use Pahela Baishakh to serve narrow political interests. But we must remember that this New Year festival belongs to no particular political party, nor any special group — it belongs to the Bengali people. Unfortunately, in the past, it was monopolised and even portrayed as an anti-religious event, leading to a negative perception among the religiously devout.

Bangladesh is a land nurtured by a thousand-year-old heritage. The majority here are both Muslims and Bengalis. We are a nation that shed blood for our language, and through the sacrifice of three million martyrs, won independence. One of the fundamental principles of that independence was the coexistence of all faiths. ‘Buddhists of Bengal, Hindus of Bengal, Christians of Bengal, Muslims of Bengal — we are all Bengalis.’ This was one of the core inspirations of our Liberation War. Bengalis have never nurtured religious extremism, nor do they like violence or conflict in the name of religion. The tradition of this land has always been for each faith to practise freely.

During Eid, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians visit Muslim households, share in sweets and festivities, and celebrate together. Similarly, during Durga Puja or Christmas, Muslims join in the ceremonies of their Hindu and Christian neighbours. This is Bangladesh’s tradition. The Muslims of this country have never been fanatical — they do not embrace cultures of hatred, anger or resentment towards other faiths.

However, over the last 15 years, under the guise of secularism, an attempt was made to promote a culture of godlessness. In the name of non-communal ideals, Islam was belittled and the nation was deceived. This is why a certain group now tries to pit Bengali festivals against religion — but such a thing should never happen. We must learn from past mistakes and avoid repeating them. Bengalis possess a distinct cultural consciousness — yet in that consciousness, religion is never ignored. Rather, culture and religion are intricately connected. 

Unfortunately, some so-called intellectuals have tried to portray religion as an opponent of Bangladeshi culture. This is highly condemnable, and we must move away from this position. More than 80% of Bangladesh’s population is Muslim. Thus, we cannot neglect religion within any of our cultural expressions. Nor can we create conflict between faith and culture. 

In recent times, we have seen various remarks from certain quarters about Pahela Baishakh. However, it is encouraging that Bangladesh’s major Islamic political parties have not taken a negative stance on this occasion. Instead, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has adopted an inclusive policy for celebrating Pahela Baishakh and begun a process of uniting all groups. This deserves appreciation.

Every year, there are two major events marking Pahela Baishakh. One is the Chhayanaut New Year celebration, the other is the Mangal Shobhajatra. New Year events have been held even during the days of Pakistan. Under the leadership of the late Sanjida Khatun, Chhayanaut’s New Year celebrations became a key cultural expression for Bengalis. In the 1960s, in defiance of Ayub Khan’s anti-Tagore stance, Chhayanaut inspired a cultural resistance. Since then, Chhayanaut has remained our pride. Every year, we begin the New Year by attending Chhayanaut’s programme. 

However, since 2010, we have seen attempts to create an alternative through ‘Sur-er Dhara’ led by Rabindra Sangeet singer Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, with government patronage. This attempt to divide culture was regrettable. In contrast, what is now needed in this new Bangladesh is unity in culture. In this dawn festival, we see people of different communities and ethnicities gathering together — with no religious barriers in sight. Pahela Baishakh is neither anti-religious nor a festival for any special group. It is a joyful occasion for all. It must remain free from politics and all forms of controversy. It is our festival, and it is we who must cherish and nurture it. It is a vital part of our Bengali consciousness. There is no religious opposition to Chhayanaut’s festival — rather, devout Muslims also join in, enjoying the event wholeheartedly as they welcome the Bengali New Year.

The second event that has recently become a subject of debate is the Mangal Shobhajatra. This procession has been recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The Fine Arts Faculty is the primary organiser behind it. The procession fosters a spirit of New Year celebration, with young men and women pledging to uphold its ideals. In the past, there was never any controversy surrounding it. 

Unfortunately, the former government, in its attempt to politicise everything, tried to use Mangal Shobhajatra as a political tool. This misuse brought unnecessary questions and controversy. Previously, there was never a political dimension to this procession. But after the Awami League came to power, politics was pushed into it. The themes of the Mangal Shobhajatra were determined according to the party’s wishes. This was not the problem of the Mangal Shobhajatra itself, but of the former government and its overly enthusiastic sycophants.

The theme selected for this year’s procession is excellent. Just as there is no conflict between religion and Chhayanaut’s festival, there is no reason for conflict between faith and the Ananda Shobhajatra. It is a spontaneous, vibrant festival to welcome the New Year. At times, this festival has also become a language of protest — for instance, after the fall of the autocratic regime in the 1990s, it was a celebration marking the end of tyranny. In the same way, this year marks the first Pahela Baishakh after the defeat of fascism.

Therefore, we must embrace this festival. This time, we witnessed a certain diversity brought into the Eid celebrations. There was an effort to revive the cultural practices of our earlier days within the Eid festivities. In this regard, Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud certainly deserves appreciation — because he made Eid festive and lively for the youth. Some quarters have criticised this initiative, but I believe such criticism is unwarranted. Religion should not be entangled with every matter, nor should any cultural activity be placed in opposition to religion. The two can coexist side by side. Culture and religion are like two tracks of a railway line. Our culture has long embraced a wealth of religious elements. Particularly, after the rise of Islam in this region, its influence on our culture has been undeniable.

Religion has never been the adversary of our Bengali culture. We must remember — those who attempt to position religion as an opponent of culture are, in truth, trying to portray Bangladesh on the international stage as a communal, religiously fanatical country, which Bangladesh is certainly not. Just as the Muslims of this country celebrate Pahela Baishakh, they also perform the five daily prayers. This Bengali nation has flourished and grown under the spirit that 'religion belongs to the individual.' Therefore, we must not confuse these two identities of religion and culture. A mutual relationship should be maintained between them.

In the past, we have seen so-called progressive practices being used as a pretext to promote a culture of irreligion. This is unacceptable — just as it is unacceptable to give religion priority while discarding culture altogether. We need to maintain a balance between the two. And this balance is the strength of this country, it is our heritage.

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The writer is a playwright and columnist. Email: [email protected]