Hakkatha Desk: With the intensive practice of pure art, Brat Unbangal celebrated the 1432 Bengali New Year with a grand event at a restaurant auditorium in New York on Sunday, April 20. The opening ceremony was quite exceptional. Tahira, 9, wearing a red tuk-tuk sari, born in Liberia, and Munir Siraj, a poet from the 1970s who came from Bangladesh, jointly announced the opening of the New Year ceremony. Writer and journalist Anwar Hossain Manju, renowned poet of the time Kazi Zahirul Islam, Unbangal president Mukti Zahir, coordinator of the New Year’s Celebration Committee Munna Chowdhury, environmental activist Syed Fazlur Rahman, female entrepreneur Selina Uddin, community leader Ahsan Habib, physician Mushfiq Chowdhury, convener of the Unbangal-Sabha Management Committee Nazrul Islam, journalist and activist Rowshan Haque, head of the Unbangal-Music Department Syed Masudul Islam Tutul, and others were present.

Poet Munir Siraj said, “There are many big events in Dhaka, but I have not experienced the sincerity and love I felt at this event anywhere else.” Poet Kazi Zahirul Islam explained the history of Bengali New Year and said, “There is no room for confusion that 441 years ago, in 1584 AD, when the Hijri year was 991, Emperor Akbar introduced the Bangabd.” In 991 Hijri, Persian astronomer Amir Fatehullah Siraji created the solar calendar for 991 Bangabd at the request of Emperor Akbar. The confusion that this calendar started during the reign of King Shashank is just confusion, there is no truth in history.

The event included panta-hilsha, various types of pitha, payesh, bharta, sweets, tea, snacks and betel nut for everyone. Artists from Una Bengal performed 6 group songs and several solo songs. The ceremony began with the group song. Mita Hossain, Mukti Zahir, Nazrul Islam, Munna Chowdhury, Renu Roja, Saida Runu, Nasir Uddin, Chamak Islam, Syed Masudul Islam Tutul, etc. Tabla artist Debu Chowdhury of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra accompanied the audience on the tabla.

After the party anthem, there was a poetry recitation. Ahsan Habib, Dima Nefertiti, Sumon Shamsuddin, Mukti Zahir, Munna Chowdhury, GM Farooq Khan, Farida Yasmin, Mohammad Shanu, Rashida Akhter participated in it.

Kazi Zahirul Islam, Shelly Zaman Khan, Dewan Naser Raja, Renu Roja, Rowshan Haque, Saleha Islam, and Mohammad Nazrul Islam participated in the poetry recitation session.

Gulshan Ara Chowdhury and Kawsar Parveen Chowdhury narrated the story. Syed Rabbi recited the script. Wahed Hossain read a story.

There were also arrangements for playing Ludo, Kutkut and Dhappa. The most attractive thing was the decoration of the venue. The courtyard decorated with jhanki jal, Babui bird’s nest, hookah, hurricane, polo, various masks, etc., looked like a secluded village in Bangladesh.

After the Baisakhi feast, the audience gathered to listen to Mariam Maria’s songs and started dancing together. Amidst the audience’s enthusiastic dancing and applause, Mariam performed 6 songs one by one. Then, solo songs were performed by Souvik, Dr. Ruma Chowdhury, Mohammad Shanu, Nazrul Islam, Mita Hossain and Syed Masudul Islam Tutul.

Human rights activists Kazi Fouzia, Munna Chowdhury, and a group of drum members were responsible for serving food in an orderly manner.

The editors of the weekly Bangladesh newspaper Dr. Wazed Khan, Dr. Imran Ansari, journalists Sheikh Siraj, Momtaz Khan, community activist Al Amin Russell, Professor Imam Chowdhury, political figure Rita Rahman, Professor Helen Siraj, Sadiq Khan and other prominent figures of the society expressed their excitement and satisfaction by participating in the program. Press Release.