<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">People across the country are celebrating Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali New Year, upholding the rich cultural heritage of the Bengalees on Friday.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chhayanaut, the country’s esteemed cultural institution known for welcoming the Bengali new calendar year with its traditional flagship event on the morning of April 14,&nbsp; kicked off the festivity at 6:15 am under the Banyan tree at Ramna (Ramna Batamul).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, the Dhaka University’ Fine Arts faculty brought out their Mangal Shobhajatra to celebrate the Bengali New Year 1430 this morning.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Outside the capital, the Bengali New Year is being celebrated across the country with a multitude of arrangements including Shobhajatra and other cultural festivities.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cumilla Victoria College brought out a colourful possession, led by AKM Bahauddin Bahar, lawmaker of Cumilla-6 constituency, to celebrate the Pahela Baishakh.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Leaders and students of different social, cultural and educational institutions participated in the procession.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The procession began at the college premises and ended at Cumilla Shilpakala Academy, where a cultural programme was organised.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">People in Khulna celebrated Pohela Boishakh with great enthusiasm and in a universal festive mood on Friday.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While inaugurating the ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’ Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque said, "Pohela Boishakh is a Bengali tradition, a day of harmony and a universal festival.&nbsp; Bengali New Year is inextricably linked with Bengali folk culture.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Barishal, people are celebrating the first day of Bengali new year with various arrangements including folk culture exhibition, and a three-day fair.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The festival started at 6:30 am on Friday with a morning programme organised by Udichi Shilpi Gosthi Barisal at Brajmohan (BM) School.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A ‘shobhajatra’ was organised by Charukala, Barishal from BM college which ended in front of the Ashwini Kumar Hal of the college after going around the city.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, the Barisal district administration organised a procession from circuit house at 9 am, folk music and painting competitions were held at Shishu Academy at 10am. A cultural programme and prize distribution was held at Shilpakala Academy at 9:30am.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, the people of Narail celebrated the beginning of the Bengali New Year 1430 with a variety of cultural events.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The district administration and Sammilita Sangskritik Jote organised multiple events throughout the day at Sultan Mancha square of Narail Government Victoria College and district Shilpakala Academy to welcome the new year and bid farewell to the old one.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">People from all walks of life attended in a&nbsp; joyous and colourful procession which started from the Narail Govt. Victoria college and ended in the district's Shilapakala academy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Similar possessions were also organised in other parts of the country including Chattogram, Dinajpur, Sherpur, Brahmanbaria and Khagrachhari, including a wide range of cultural events. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>