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Published : 14 Apr 2026, 09:13 PM
bdnews24.com has ushered in Pahela Baishakh with a warm, distinctly Bengali gathering, bringing together leading figures from across politics, diplomacy, business, culture and the arts in an intimate setting of conversation and exchange.
As Tuesday afternoon wore on, guests began arriving in a steady stream: some carrying flowers, others bearing gift hampers, adding to the festive cheer.
Between lively adda and conversation, the celebration came alive with an elaborate spread of traditional Baishakhi fare and a wide array of delicacies.
Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi hosted the guests, joined by colleagues across the newsroom, creating a relaxed, homely atmosphere.
The guest list spanned a broad spectrum - politicians, foreign diplomats, business leaders and prominent figures from culture, sports and entertainment.
Among those present were Jatiya Party supremo GM Quader, BNP leader Abdus Salam, and Bangladesh JaSaD Standing Committee member Dr Mushtuq Husain.
Diplomatic attendees included India’s High Commissioner to Dhaka Pranay Verma, the European Union Ambassador Michael Miller, and Argentina’s Ambassador Marcelo Carlos Césa, many accompanied by their spouses.
The gathering also drew internationally acclaimed artist Monirul Islam, alongside artists Kazi Rakib and Masuda Kazi.
In a late highlight, Bangladesh Cricket Board President and former national captain Tamim Iqbal joined the festivities.
Business leaders and policymakers featured prominently, including former FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain, who described himself as the event’s “early bird”, BCI President Anwar-Ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), ADN Group Chairman Asif Mahmood, and Hasan & Associates Deputy Managing Director Naimul Hasan.
Former senior officials and diplomats, including ex-ambassador Shahed Akhtar, former principal secretary Abdul Karim, and former BIDA executive chairman Kazi M Aminul Islam, were also in attendance.
They were joined by Liberation War friend Julian Francis and former secretary and freedom fighter Moniruzzaman Chowdhury (Manju).
Despite personal commitments, economist Selim Jahan and poet Shamim Azad attended, alongside Dhaka University English department chair Prof Tajin Aziz Chowdhury and Praava Health COO Dr Simeen M Akhtar.
The guest list extended to literary and cultural figures such as novelist Anwara Syed Haq and Liberation War Museum Trustee Mofidul Hoque.
From the financial sector came Midland Bank MD Imtiaz U Ahmed, DBA President Saiful Islam, and Dhaka Stock Exchange Director Minhaz Mannan Emon.
Photographer Nasir Ali Mamun and senior journalists Kamal Ahmed and Masood Kamal, along with columnist Towheed Feroze, were also present.
The entertainment world was well represented, with actor couples Piyush Bandyopadhyay and Jayashree Kar Jaya, while actor Tariq Anam Khan attended with his family. Architect and filmmaker Enamul Karim Nirjhar and actor Opi Karim also joined, along with actors Ahsan Habib Nasim and Rawnak Hasan.
Writers and researchers, including Salek Khokon, Bangladesh Astronomical Association General Secretary Zikrul Ahsan, and ICIMOD award winner Mostafa Shibli, added intellectual depth to the gathering.
Fashion designer Biplob Saha of Bishwo Rang and Nagad official Sajal Zahid were among others who joined the celebration.
With temperatures rising, guests were first served refreshing drinks - green mango and lemon sherbet, tamarind juice and coconut water - alongside traditional Baishakhi treats such as khoi, batasha and naru. Popular snacks like samosas, dal puri and chotpoti were also on offer.
The main spread was a lavish showcase of Bengali cuisine, featuring panta bhat, plain rice, bhuna khichuri and red rice, alongside an array of hilsa dishes - mustard hilsa, steamed hilsa and fried hilsa - as well as dried fish preparations, bhortas, prawn dishes, rezala, achari beef, and a variety of fish and meat curries.
Desserts brought the celebration to a fitting close, with regional favourites including chhanar jilapi from Sirajganj, Barishal’s rasgolla and rasmalai, Tangail’s chomchom, Brahmanbaria’s chanamukhi, and nolen gur sweets from Jashore.
