bdnews24.com rings in Bangla New Year 1426 with homely festivities

Shining stars from a wide array of arenas of Bangladesh have enlivened bdnews24.com’s homely Bangla New Year celebrations.

The presence of a group of Dhaka-based diplomats among leaders from politics, culture, business, and civil service added a different dimension to the programme organised by Bangladesh’s largest news publisher on the occasion of the Bengali’s festival of life on Sunday.

They spent the day tittle-tattling with each other while enjoying a variety of foods, including Muri-Murki and Panta-Ilish that are inseparable parts of Pahela Baishakh.

Bonhomie filled the air with Bangladesh at the heart of conversations between the dignitaries from across the political and professional divide.

Former minister and BNP Standing Committee Member Abdul Moyeen Khan joined Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the Prime Minister’s Adviser for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and Salman F Rahman, who advises the prime minister on private industry and investment, to celebrate Pahela Baishakh with bdnews24.com.

They had former Jatiya Party secretary general and DUCSU general secretary Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, JaSoD central leader and former DUCSU general secretary Mushtaq Hossain, Awami League International Affairs Secretary Shammi Ahmed, former MP Mahjabeen Khaled, and BNP Organising Secretary Shama Obayed with them.     

For Robert Dickson, it was the first Pahela Baishakh in Dhaka after he took charges as the British High Commissioner. Dickson also brought along his spouse.

UN Resident Coordinator Mia Seppo, UNDP Country Director Sudipto Mukerjee, Danish Ambassador Winnie Estrup Petersen, and Japan’s Acting Ambassador Takeshi Ito among the foreign diplomats were in attendance at the event. Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Van Khoa came with his wife.     

Movie legend and former MP Sarah Begum Kabori was present with her trademark smile that mesmerised fans for decades. Another actress, Kohinoor Akhter Suchanda was joined by former managing director of BFDC actor Pijush Bandyopadhyay and his wife Jayasree Kar Jaya.

Former Supreme Court judge Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury, former University Grants Commission chairman AK Azad Chowdhury, and Dhaka University’s Professor Sadeka Halim also joined the celebrations. 

Julian Francis, a ‘Friend of Bangladesh’, came sporting a panjabi.

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Executive Chairman Kazi M Aminul Islam, former secretaries Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, Abdul Karim, and Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury were among top former and current bureaucrats.

Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood, a former chief of telecom regulator BTRC, attended the Pahela Baishakh event along with BIMSTEC Secretary General Shahidul Islam. Air Vice Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan brought his spouse Tahmida Hannan.

Among the business leaders, Mir Group boss Mir Nasir Hossain, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Nihad Kabir, and bKash CEO Kamal Quadir were present. IDLC Finance Limited CEO and Managing Director Arif Khan came with his wife. 

Social worker Aroma Dutta MP, Dr Nuzhat Choudhury and her husband Dr Mamun Al Mahtab, among others, were present.   

Principal Information Officer Joynal Abedin, Ekattor TV Managing Director Mozammel Babu, The Daily Janakantha Executive Editor Swadesh Roy, and The Asian Age Editorial Board Chairman Shoeb Chowdhury joined the event.

bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi played the host with his colleagues.

The guests were welcomed with coconut water, green mango juice, and tamarind juice. Khoi, Batasa, Murali, Muri-Murki aside, Tiler Khaja, and Nadu, there were Singara, Dalpuri, and Chatpati.     

The main course had Achari Beef, Chicken Bhuna, Mutton Rezala, dried fishes Loitta and Chhuri, Dried Fish Bhuna, Indian Carplet Chachchari, Shrimp with Bitter Gourd and several Hilsa dishes - Hilsa with Taro Shoots being one of them.

Guests were also treated to fine mashed delicacies such as shrimp, eggplant, tomato, potato, black cumin, and beans.

Besides White Rice and Red Rice, there were Panta, Khichuri and Dheki Chhanta Rice sampling the rich culinary heritage.

The desserts included Rosmalai, Rosgolla and Payesh. Watermelon was also there to hit the sweet spot. To top things off, betel leaf and nuts lifted the Bengali spirit.