‘Let pure light remove darkness’

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Opposition Leader Raushan Ershad, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad have greeted the people on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bengali New Year.

In separate messages on the eve of New Year, which begins on Monday, they expressed hopes to go forward with renewed spirits.

The President, in his message, said: “I greet and congratulate our countrymen and all expatriate Bangladeshis on this joyful day of the Bengali New Year.”

“I expect our personal and collective future will be brightened by pure light, removing past year’s darkness.”

He hoped the New Year would strengthen national unity and be a source of boundless joy for all.

The Prime Minister said the Bengali New Year was a universal festival of the Bengalis.

She said the Bengali New Year meant colourful festivities of the indigenous Bengali culture.

“We welcome the New Year with our hearts, songs and poems, and the warmth of emotion.”

Hasina added that there had been conspiracies before and after Bangladesh’s independence to denigrate the spirit of New Year celebrations.

She hoped Bengalis would move forward leaving behind the past which was marred with conspiracies to crush the national spirit.

“The Bangla New Year rekindles our nationalist spirit…There were attacks again and again. People were killed in bombings. But no evil attempt of the fanatics, communal forces ever succeeded," Hasina said.

The BNP chief wished happiness and peace for every individual and the entire nation and said that the Bangla New Year reminded all of the nation’s rich heritage.

“We have come to the eve of 1421 after witnessing a lot of incidents and mishaps in 1420. Let society be rid of lies, injustice, malpractices and troubles in this New Year,” Khaleda said.

Raushan urged everyone to overcome hatred and malice in the New Year.

She said: “Let compromise and development – not crises - be the milestones of the New Year’s journey.”

Her husband and Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad said in his message that he wanted the coming year to be ‘memorable’ one by leaving behind the ‘bitter experience’.

“We have to take the resolution to sacrifice anything to build a country with economic freedom, terrorism-free society and shun all kind of violence,” said the former military dictator.