Dhaka University has renamed the traditional Mangal Shobhajatra, which is organised to usher in Bengali new year, as Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra.
The announcement was made at a press conference organised by the university authorities at the Osman Jamal Auditorium of fine arts faculty on Friday morning.
Earlier, cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said that the name of Mangal Shobhajatra might be changed triggering a huge controversy on social media.
The press conference was organised to brief reporters on the preparations for Pahela Baishakh 1432 celebrations.
Dhaka University vice-chancellor professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, pro-vice-chancellor for administration and convener of the central coordinating committee Professor Saima Haque Bidisha, pro-vice-chancellor Professor Mamun Ahmed, treasurer M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, member secretary of the committee and dean of fine arts faculty Md Azharul Islam Sheikh, procession committee member secretary Kaoser Hassan Togor and DU proctor Saifuddin Ahmed spoke at the conference.
This year seven big structural motifs will be displayed at the procession, including a symbolic portrait of fascism, typography of July 36, Mughdo’s water bottle, Wooden Tiger, Hilsha Fish, Palki and Pigeon.
Besides, 67 medium-sized motifs and 326 small motifs will be displayed at the procession which promotes Bengali tradition and culture.
The procession will also feature 100 feet patachitra, which also describes indigenous performances of the Bengali region.
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 at first, it was named as Ananda Shobhajatra.
Later, the name was changed to ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’ in the context of the anti-Ershad movement in 1990.
The UNESCO in 2016 recognised Mangal Shobhajatra as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Source: Newage