Post-poll restrictions dampen Pohela Falgun celebrations

Bangladesh will celebrate the arrival of Spring with quieter festivities

The arrival of Bashanta, the Bengali season of spring, has been marked in a subdued mood this year, with Pohela Falgun celebrations scaled back following the just concluded general election.

Festivities on Saturday will be limited in scope after government directives restricting large public gatherings in the post-election period.

In previous years, Dhaka University’s TSC and the Amar Ekushey Book Fair grounds would come alive days ahead of Pohela Falgun, with crowds of young people dressed in yellow welcoming the new season.

This year, such scenes were largely absent across the capital.

The National Spring Festival Celebration Council, which traditionally hosts the main Bashanta event at Bakultala on the Dhaka University campus, moved the programme this year to the courtyard of the Liberation War Museum in Agargaon.

Several cultural organisations adjusted their plans in response to the restrictions.

Musical troupe Samageet postponed its spring programme until Tuesday, citing the limits on public events.

The Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), however, went ahead with a modest celebration. Its Cultural Secretary Monowar Hossain said the programme would run from 11am to 1pm on Saturday.

Manzar Chowdhury Sweet, general secretary of the National Spring Festival Celebration Council, told bdnews24.com that this year’s celebrations had been deliberately scaled down.

“In previous years, events were held at Bakultala, Bahadur Shah Park and Uttara Sector-3,” he said. “This year, we have shifted to the Liberation War Museum to keep the programme limited and manageable.”

Despite the smaller setting, organisers said they would preserve key traditions. The celebrations will begin at 7:30am with choral songs and instrumental performances by students of Bengal Parampara Sangeetalaya.