bdnews24.com welcomes Bangla New Year with a lively gathering

Bangladesh’s first internet newspaper bdnews24.com has welcomed the Bangla New Year with a lively get-together.

Politicians, business leaders, diplomats, celebrities and journalists convened in a modest gathering on Thursday.

Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi welcomed the guests with the traditional ‘panta-Ilish’ along with a long list of home-made delicacies.

Bangladeshis along with Bengalees across the world on Thursday celebrated the first day of Bengali year.

The participants engaged themselves in the festivities and interacted with each other in a very homely atmosphere, lasting from noon to evening.

BNP's Standing Committee member Abdul Moin Khan, BNP chairperson’s Adviser Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Jatiya Party Co-Chairman Ghulam Muhammed Quader, ruling Awami League MP Mahjabeen Khaled, and former MP and actress Sarah Begum Kabori were present among the politicians.

Former DUCSU general secretary Mushtuq Husain also joined along with his spouse Dr Beena Shikder. Former Supreme Court Judge Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury also took part.

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 joined the celebrations.

EU Head of Delegation Ambassador Pierre Mayaudon also attended the celebration among the diplomats.

Acting Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Dhaka Boris Kelecevic, and its Dhaka’s Communication Delegate Michael Kifle also joined.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood and its vice-chairman Brig Gen Md Ahsan Habib Khan (Retd) also attended the celebration.

Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral AMMM Aurangzeb Chowdhury was also there.

Economist MA Taslim, Former Information Commissioner Prof Sadeka Halim, Bangladesh’s foreign friend Julian Francis, who stood by the Bengalis during the Liberation War of 1971, and freedom fighter Masud Sadek Chullu also joined the gathering.

Former President of the apex business body FBCCI, Mir Nasir Hossain, and that of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Anwar-Ul Alam Chowdhury Parvez were also present, among the business leaders.

Founder and Managing Director of online travel ticketing platform Shohoz.com Maliha Quadir and her husband Khalid Quadir, who manages private equity fund Frontier Fund, also joined the celebration.

Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Ashraful Alam Khokan, former managing director of BFDC actor Pijush Bandyopadhyay and his actress wife Jayasree Kar Jaya also joined in the festivity.

BRAC’s Senior Director Asif Saleh, ICT expert Abu Sayeed Khan, and ADN Telecom Chairman and Managing Director Asif Mahmood took part in the celebrations.

The long and delectable list of lunch items 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, on arrival, were welcomed with refreshments and snacks that included ‘Chatpati’, ‘Singara’, ‘Puri’, coconut water, green mango, and tamarind juice.

Dessert included ‘Payesh’, ‘Semai’, ‘Rasogolla’ from Savar, ‘Chomchom’ from Manikganj and pudding.