Dressed mostly in crisp ethnic wear, guests are greeted with Bengali gourmet
Published : 15 Apr 2024, 12:00 AM
Leaders from politics, diplomacy, culture, literature and business joined bdnews24.com’s Bangla New Year 1431 celebrations in Dhaka on the Bangladesh’s festival of life - Pahela Baishakh - on Sunday.
bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi and his colleagues welcomed and entertained the guests who spent the first afternoon of the year in the Bangla calendar at Old DOHS in Banani with chit-chats and banters.
Dressed mostly in crisp ethnic wear, they were greeted with Bengali gourmet.
Graced by internationally acclaimed artist Monirul Islam and author Anwara Syed Haque, young artist Mohammad Iqbal, Rashid Amin and writer-translator Andalib Rashidi also joined the celebration.
The presence of Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam, who came from their own celebration in Gulshan, added to the zeal.
Abdul Moyeen Khan, a member of the BNP’s Standing Committee and former minister, joined in with his spouse Rokhsana Khandaker.
Theatre activist Ramendu Majumdar, Dhaka University sociology teacher and playwright Samina Luthfa Nitra, theatre director Mohammad Ali Haider, and Actors Equity President Ahsan Habib Nasim made the celebration all the more pleasant.
Also in attendance were actor and Sampriti Bangladesh Convenor Pijush Bandyopadhyay and his actress wife Jayosree Kar Jaya, Professor Mamun Al Mahtab, the member secretary of Sampriti Bangladesh, and Mahtab’s wife Nuzhat Choudhury.
The joyous event had the presence of Ekushey Award-winning reciter Bhaswar Bandopadhyay, National Poetry Council General Secretary Tarik Sujat, Bangladesh Astronomical Association’s Advisor Moshurl Amin and Jatiyo Grontho Kendro Director Minar Mansoor.
Among the diplomats, South Korean Ambassador Park Young-sik, Spanish Ambassador Gabriel Sistiaga, Rajesh Kumar Agnihotri, minister (consular and education) at the Indian High Commission, and Director of the Russian House in Dhaka Pavel A Dvoichenkov joined the Bangla New Year celebration.
AK Azad Chowdhury, former chairman of the University Grants Commission and vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, former Appellate Division judge Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury, and public health expert Mushtuq Husain also attended the function.
Md Aminul Islam, former executive director of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority and secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, was among the guests.
They also included Sultana Afroz, who had worked as a chief executive of the Public Private Partnership Authority under the PMO with the rank of secretary, and her husband former joint secretary Shams Al Mujaddid.
Tasmima Hossain, editor of the Daily Ittefaq and magazine Ananya, Ehsanul Haque Babu, deputy editor of the Daily Jugantor, and photographer Nasir Ali Mamun joined http://bdnews24.com celebration of Pahela Baishakh.
Mir Nasir Hossain, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries, and Bangladesh Cricket Board Director Nazib Ahmed, among others, attended the event.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman and DMP Detective Branch’s chief Harunor Rashid brought flowers.
Lawyer Tureen Afroz brought her ninth-grade daughter to the event. The celebration was joined by Liberation War researcher and writer Salek Khokon and poet Tushar Das.
Among the guests were Rasheda K Chowdhury, executive director of Campaign for Popular Education who had worked as an advisor to the caretaker government, business executives Ananda Zaman and Kazi Farzana Sharmin.
Former Navy chief retired admiral Abu Mozaffar Mohiuddin Mohammed Aourangzeb Chowdhury and his wife Dr Afroza Goni, a professor at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College’s obstetrics and gynaecology department, also came to share the joy of the occasion.
Shahed Akhter, former ambassador to Spain, Thailand and Cambodia, and M Shahidul Islam, former secretary general of BIMSTEC, attended the Baishakhi event.
The lively gathering was marked by chatter and anecdotes lasting from afternoon to evening. Meticulously crafted quintessential Bengali culinary delights added to the flavour of the festivities.
To cool off amid the summer heatwave, the guests were served with green mango and tamarind juice, and coconut water as a starter to have with Shingara, Lentil Puri, and Chatpati.
Adding a touch of Baishakhi fair, there were Batasa and Nadu.
Main courses to be relished included Beef with Pickle Gravy, Mutton Rezala, Chicken Bhuna, Dried Chhuri, Dried Loitta, Dried Pomfret with Eggplant, Shrimp with Bitter Gourd and several Hilsa items like Hilsa with Mustard Gravy, Fried Hilsa, Hilsa Fish Head with Taro Shoots, Hilsa Egg and Smoked Hilsa.
Varieties of mashed dishes were there. They included Mashed Eggplant, Mashed Potato, Mashed Tomato, Mashed Lentils, Mashed Black Cumin, and Mashed Shrimp.
Besides White and Red Rice, there were Bhuna Khichuri and the iconic Pahela Baishakh dish Panta.
Dessert included Rice Pudding, Yoghurt (Sour and Sweet), Roshosgulla from Barishal, Pantua from Sirajganj, Sponge Roshogulla from Savar, Chomchom from Tangail and Khir Sandesh from Jashore.