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Published : 05 Apr 2026, 08:31 PM
A Supreme Court lawyer has filed a petition seeking a permanent ban on the ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’ procession during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations, labelling the decades-old tradition as "artificial" and "contrary to religious faith".
Lawyer Mahmudul Hassan moved the High Court on Sunday, naming the secretaries of the ministries of culture, religion, and home affairs, the Dhaka deputy commissioner, the Dhaka University vice-chancellor, and the dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts as respondents.
The petitioner argued that the procession is not an ancient Bengali tradition but a "modern creation" started in 1989 under the name “Anondo Shobhajatra”.
He claimed the practice of parading large replicas of birds, fish, and animals to seek "well-being" (Mangal) contradicts Islamic beliefs, as Muslims believe such blessings should only be sought from God.
The legal challenge comes amid a lingering debate over the naming of the UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage event.
Following the fall of the Awami League government, the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus dropped the word “Mangal” (auspicious) from the name of the procession.
For the 1433 Bengali New Year to be observed in just days, Dhaka University announced on Mar 30 that the event would be held as “Anondo Shobhajatra”.
This change, however, sparked a social media backlash and prompted a response from Culture Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury.
The minister initially said on Mar 31 that there was "no need" to change the name during the interim period, though he later clarified that the official title for this year's event would simply be “Baishakhi Shobhajatra”.
Despite the government's attempts to navigate the nomenclature, the petitioner is seeking a court order to restrain the authorities from organising, approving, or promoting the procession in any form.
The petition also alleged that the event threatens communal harmony, public safety, and national stability by hurting the religious sentiments of the majority population.
The iconic procession gained international status in 2016 when UNESCO inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
