Dhaka University has renamed the traditional Mangal Shobhajatra, which is organised to usher in Bengali New Year, as Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra, setting off controversies.
The renaming announcement was made at a press conference organised by the university authorities at the Osman Jamal Auditorium of the fine arts faculty on Friday morning to brief reporters on the preparations for聽 the Pahela Baishakh 1432 celebrations.
鈥楾he word Mangal was not liked by mass people although it does not carry any bad meaning, but we have decided to return to the original name of the procession,鈥� said Md Azharul Islam Sheikh, dean of the fine arts faculty.
Md Azharul Islam Sheikh said that the fine arts faculty has been organising the Mangal Shobhajatra to mark the first day of the Bengali New Year since 1989 and first it was named Ananda Shobhajatra.
Later, the name was changed to Mangal Shobhajatra against the backdrop of the anti-Ershad movement in 1990.
Earlier, various parties and organisations, including the Islami Andolan, objected to the name Mangal Shobhajatra and demanded a changed name of the procession.聽
Recently, cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said on social media that the name Mangal Shobhajatra might be changed, triggering a huge controversy.
Dhaka University vice-chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan, pro-vice-chancellor for administration and convener of the central coordinating committee Saima Haque Bidisha, pro-vice-chancellor Mamun Ahmed, treasurer M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, member secretary of the committee and dean of the fine arts faculty Md Azharul Islam Sheikh, procession committee member secretary Kaoser Hassan Togor and DU proctor Saifuddin Ahmed spoke at the press conference.
鈥榃e are not renaming the procession but returning to its original name and tradition,鈥� said Niaz Ahmed Khan, adding that the procession will convey the message of an end to the repressive dictatorship and a call for unity and harmony.
鈥楾he UNESCO聽mentioned聽three points on their inscription about the event. Cultural diversity, cultural dialogue, and visibility of intangible cultural heritage and we try to focus on portraying聽them,鈥� said Niaz, adding that they took the challenge of organising the procession as a national event, which they are trying to make a success together with all stakeholders.
This year, seven big structural motifs will be displayed in the procession, including a symbolic portrait of fascism, typography of July 36, July-August uprising martyr Mughdo鈥檚 water bottle, a wooden tiger, a hilsa fish, a palanquin and pigeons.
Besides, 67 medium-sized motifs and 326 small motifs will be displayed at the procession, which promote the Bengali tradition and culture.
The procession will also feature a 100-foot-long potochitra (painting on cloth, earthen pots, etc), which will describe performances of Bangladesh鈥檚 indigenous communities.
The UNESCO in 2016 recognised Mangal Shobhajatra as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Bangladesh Chhatra Union and Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, in their press releases, condemned the change of name of the traditional procession.
As part of the Bengali New Year celebration, Chhayanaut is taking preparations for organising a cultural show at Ramna Batamul on the day.
Chhayanaut will present nine chorus songs and 12 solo musical performances along with the recitation of texts, said the cultural organisation at a press conference on Friday at its auditorium in the capital.
鈥楾he event will start at 6.15am and the performances will be telecast by Bangladesh Television and Chhayanaut鈥檚 official YouTube channel and Facebook page,鈥� said Laisa Ahmed Lisa, general secretary of the organisation, while its executive president Sarwar Ali, vice-president Khairul Anam Shakil, joint secretary Partha Tanvir Naved and Jayanta Roy attended the conference.
Jatiya Sanskritik Kendra, another cultural entity, also announced at a press conference in the capital on Friday that it would organise a programme on Pahela Baishakh.
