Limited Pahela Baishakh celebration with symbolic Mongol Shobhajatra
The Dhaka University authorities took the decision on Monday
The Bangla New Year will be celebrated on a limited scale this year, with only 100 persons holding a Mongol Shobhajatra on the Institute of Fine Arts premises of Dhaka University.
The Dhaka University authorities took the decision on Monday, in a meeting at Professor Abdul Matin Chowdhury virtual classroom, with Vice-Chancellor Professor Akhtaruzzaman in the chair.
However, it was not disclosed who will be allowed to participate in the Shobhajatra.
The meeting decided that all the participants must follow health guidelines and social distancing rules properly amid the Covid induced adverse situation.
Mass people have been urged to avoid public gathering to mark the New Year and not to attend the events in person.
Arrangements will be made to stream the Mongol Shobhajatra live on TVs so that people can enjoy the New Year staying homes.
At the same time, the DU authorities urged not arrange any kind of fair or set up makeshift stalls on the campus marking the occasion.
Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Muhammad Samad, Treasurer Professor Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed, Fine Arts Faculty Dean Professor Nisar Hossain, President of Dhaka University Teachers Association Professor Dr Md Rahmat Ullah, General Secretary Professor Md Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, among others, were present at the meeting.
Every year, students of the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University bring out the main procession as part of the celebration of the first day of Bangla calendar while the DU vice-chancellor leads the rally in the morning with different themes in the traditional manner.
But the scenario is now in stark contrast to that of the pre-Covid era.
The authorities had do cancel Bangla new year celebration in the previous year, to refrain the highly contagious virus from srpeading.
The upcoming new year celebration has now been scheduled to embrace the same fate.