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Festivals have always played a significant role in the life of the citizens of this country. They derive from them a great amount of joy, entertainment and color for life. While most of the Festivals have sprung from religious rituals, the fairs have their roots in the very heart of the people, irrespective of religion, caste or creed.

Pahela Baishakh:

The advent of Bengali New Year is gaily observed throughout the country. The Day (mid-April) is a public holiday. Most colorful daylong gatherings along with arrangement of cultural program and traditional Panta at Ramna Park, Dhaka is a special feature of Pahela Baishakh. Tournaments, boat races etc. are

Baishakh

held in cities and villages amidst great jubilation. Many fairs are held in Dhaka and other towns and villages.

Pahela Falgoon:

Another traditional day is Pahela Falgoon, the first day of spring, which is observed across the country through traditional festivities and colorful programs. Spring fairs, cultural programs and exchanges of greetings and gifts among friends and beloved ones mark the day. People from all walks of life throng the venues of different

Falgoon

programs wearing colorful dresses including traditional 'spring sarees' and 'Panjabi'. Other programs of the day include exchange of flowers, gifts and 'Rakhi-Bandhan', and poetry recitations.

Independence Day:

March 26 is the day of Independence of Bangladesh. It is the biggest state festival. This day is most befittingly observed and the capital wears a festive look. It is a public holiday. The citizens of Dhaka wake up early in the morning with the booming of guns heralding the day. Citizens including government leaders and sociopolitical organizations and freedom fighters place floral wreaths at the National Martyrs Monument at Savar. Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and other socio-cultural organizations hold cultural functions. At night the main public buildings are tastefully illuminated to give the capital city a dazzling look. Similar functions are arranged in other parts of the country.

21st Feb, National Mourning Day and World Mother Language Day:

21 February is observed throughout the country to pay respect and homage to the sacred souls of the martyrs' of Language Movement of 1952. Blood was shed on this day at the Central Shahid Minar area to establish Bengali as a state language of the then Pakistan. All subsequent movements including struggle for

Shahid Minar

independence owe their origin to the historic language movement. The Shahid Minar (martyrs monument) is the symbol of sacrifice for Bengali, the mother tongue. The day is closed holiday. Mourning procedure begin in Dhaka at midnight with the song Amar vaier raktay rangano ekushay February (21st February, the day stained with my brothers' blood). Nationals pay homage to the martyrs by placing flora wreaths at the Shahid Minar. Very recently the day has been declared World Mother Language Day by UNESCO.

	Eid-e-Miladunnabi:
	Eid-e-Miladunnabi is the birth and death day of Prophet Muhammad (s). He was born and died the same day on 12th Rabiul Awal (Lunar Month). The day is national holiday, national flag is flown atop public and private houses and special food is served in orphanages, hospitals and jails. At night important public buildings are illuminated and milad mahfils are held.

Eid-ul-Fitr

The biggest Muslim festival observed throughout the world. This is held on the day following the Ramadan or the month of fasting. In Dhaka big congregations are held at the National Eidgah and many mosques.

Eid-ul-Fitr

Eid-ul-Azha :

Second biggest festival of the Muslims. It is held marking the Hajj in Mecca on the 10th Zilhaj, the lunar month. Eid congregations are held throughout the country. Animals are sacrificed in reminiscence of Hazrat Ibrahim's (AM) preparedness for the supreme sacrifice of his beloved son to Allah. It is a public holiday.

Eid-ul-Azha

	Muharram:
	Muharram procession is a ceremonial mournful procession of Muslim community. A large procession is brought out from the Hussaini Dalan Imambara on 10th Muharram in memory of the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA) on this day at Karbala in Iraq. Same observations are made elsewhere in the country.

	Biswa Istema:
	After Hazz, it is the largest congregation of the Muslims in the world. It takes place beside the Turag river in Tongi, near Dhaka. This occurs on last half of January.

Durga Puja:

The biggest festival of the Hindu community continues for ten days, the last three days being culmination with the idol immersed in rivers. In Dhaka the big celebrations are held at Dhakeswari Temple, where a fair is also held and at the Ram Krishna Mission.

Durga Puja

	Sharashwati Puja:
	Like Minerva in the Greek mythology Devi Sharashwati is regarded as goddess of wisdom in Hindu mythology. Most educational institutions celebrate puja once a year.

	Langalbandh:
	A holy bathing river bank for the Hindus since the Vedic time. It is situated on the right bank of Old Brahmaputra river, 12 km to the South East of Dhaka, on Dhaka Chittagong highway. Every year Over 50,000 Hindus gather here on the 8th lunar day during the Bengali month of Falgoon (April-May) to bathe in the holy water of the old Brahmaputra, purifying the soul and mind, driving the evil out.

Christmas:

Christmas, popularly called "Bara Din", is celebrated with pomp in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country. Several day-long large gatherings are held at St. Mary's Cathedral at Ramna, Portuguese Church at Tejgaon, Church of Bangladesh (Protestant) on Johnson Road and

Christmas

Bangladesh Baptist Sangha at Sadarghat, Dhaka. Functions include illumination of churches, decorating Christmas tree and other Christian festivities.

	Buddho Purnima:
	Buddhists commemorate the birth and enlightenment of Buddha. This occurs on the first full-moon of the Bengali month of Baishakh.

Nazrul Jayanti:

Birth anniversary (May 26th, 11th Jaystha) of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam (1898-1976) He is also known as the rebel poet. From his early childhood he showed the acumen of writing good poems. The English colonial rulers and the rich Hindu influential leaders did their best not letting him publishing his works. Many of his literary works considers to be best in the Bengali literature. He is even considered to be

Nazrul Jayanti

most humanist poet India has ever produced. Unlike Tagore and many other Hindu Bengali literary figures he was secular. Kazi Nazrul Islam is the national poet of Bangladesh. He is widely admired in West Bengal too. He is quite unknown in the West, only a few books are translated into English which are also badly translated. Musical soirees, seminars are held every year to commemorate his birth day. Bangladesh government issued a postal stamp with his portrait in the year......His mausoleum is situated near the Dhaka University.

	Rabindra Jayanti:
	Birth anniversary (8th May, 25th Baishakh) of poet Rabindranath Tagore. All educational institutes are closed on the day; various cultural activities take place. Tagore is the writer of our national anthem while National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is famous as Rebel Poet.