From afternoon until evening on Pahela Baisakh, the gathering was engrossed in an animated ‘adda’, a Bangla term for lively and cerebral conversation, followed by a luncheon mostly comprising famous traditional Bengali foods.
Bangladeshis along with Bengalis across the world on Tuesday celebrated the first day of Bengali month Baishakh.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, BNP’s Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, former foreign minister Dipu Moni and Prime Minister’s Media Affairs Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury joined bdnews24.com’s New Year celebrations.
Among the business leaders were former FBCCI presidents Mir Nasir Hossain and AK Azad.
Ekattor TV Managing Director Mozammel Babu, the station's CEO Samia Zaman attended the get-together arranged by Bangladesh’s first Internet newspaper.
Freedom-fighter Masud Sadik Chullu and Bangladesh’s Foreign Friend Julian Francis, who has been honoured by the state for his contributions during the 1971 Liberation War, were present, too.
Prime Minister’s former secretary and former World Bank alternate executive director Kazi Aminul Islam together with several current and former public administration officials also took part.
bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi received the guests. Senior Editor Amanullah Kabir and Arts Editor poet Mohammad Nurul Huda were with him.
The long and delectable list included: ‘Bean Bhorta’, ‘Shrimp Bhorta’, ‘Tomato Bhorta’, ‘Red Potato Bhorta’, ‘Lentil Bhorta’, ‘Curried Dried Loitta Fish’, ‘Curi Dried Fish’ and Aubergine, ‘Hilsa Head with Celeriac Shoots’, ‘Chicken in Pickles’, ‘Mutton Rezala’, ‘Spicy Beef Curry’, ‘Red Rice’, ‘Bhuna Khechuri’, ‘White Rice’, ‘Panta Bhaat’, ‘Shrimp and Bitter Gourd’, ‘Mustard Hilsa’, ’Sautéed Small Fry’, Sour Aubergine and ‘Fried Hilsa’.
The guests earlier were welcomed with refreshments and snacks that included ‘Chatpati’, ‘Singara’, ‘Puri’, coconut water, green mango, and tamarind juice.
The sweets included ‘Payes’, ‘Semai’, ‘Rasogolla’ from Savar, ‘Chomchom’ from Manikganj and pudding.