2026 knocks at a mourning door as Bangladesh welcomes the New Year amid grief

The new year arrives as Bangladesh observes state mourning following the death of Khaleda Zia

After a year marked by attempts at state reform, outbreaks of mob violence, a deadly earthquake, the return home of Tarique Rahman and the death of Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh has stepped into another chapter. Welcome to 2026.

As the clock struck midnight on Wednesday, flashes of colourful light briefly lit up the skies over Dhaka to mark the arrival of the Christian New Year.

This year, however, 2026 knocked on the door at a sombre moment, with the country observing three days of state mourning following the death of former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Against that backdrop, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) had announced a series of restrictions on New Year celebrations. In a public notice issued on Tuesday, the DMP said that all fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns and gas balloons would be banned across the capital during the period of state mourning.

The notice also called for refraining from organising cultural programmes, DJ parties and processions in open spaces.

Even so, despite the sombre mood and official restrictions, flashes of coloured lights, sky lanterns and gas balloons were seen in Dhaka’s night sky.

On New Year’s Eve, heightened security measures were in place at all entry points of the Dhaka University. From Wednesday night, no outsiders or vehicles were allowed to enter the campus through these gates.