Pohela Boishakh must be celebrated as a non-communal festival

Boishakh is the first month of the Bengali calendar. April 14, or Pohela Boishakh, marks the first day of the Bengali New Year — a celebration deeply rooted in the hearts of Bengalis. As Boishakh approaches, the end of spring is adorned with golden flowers lighting up the surroundings, spreading the radiant beauty of nature. Marigolds fade away, leaving behind their turmeric-hued petals. Unseasonal rain brings forth stunning new blooms, covering green leaves as if to announce their arrival.

The Bengali New Year has a rich and traditional history. Over the ages, the celebration of this day has evolved in various ways, with new elements being added and old ones fading away. Urban life has changed, rural life has also transformed — change has brought innovation. Yet, the fair still gathers under a banyan tree, by rivers, near markets, on the edges of wetlands, in open fields, and common grounds.

With vibrant celebration, we welcome the new year and hope for a fresh start. O Boishakh, come with calm and beauty, with joy and optimism, casting away the despair of the past. Come bearing the spirit of Bengal, with the aesthetic blend of red and white, symbolizing purity and festivity. Pohela Boishakh is a renewal — may the decaying past be washed away. Whether or not this appeal to the setting sun is accepted, it has become part of our tradition, part of our culture. We believe Pohela Boishakh inspires us to shed narrow-mindedness and embrace a liberal worldview. It washes away the burdens of our hearts and motivates us to live with renewed energy.

Pohela Boishakh is a universal festival for all Bengalis — not just in Bangladesh, but across the globe. In countries like the USA, UK, India, and Japan, it's celebrated with grand enthusiasm. In New York, where a large number of Bengali-speaking people reside, the excitement is palpable. From 'panta bhaat' (fermented rice) to 'ilish' (hilsa fish), the festive menu is complete. Bengali songs form the heart of the celebrations, as people gather in music and conversation, remembering their beloved homeland, Bangladesh.

Wherever we may be, our foremost identity remains — we are Bengali. We are a proud nation with a language and culture of our own. Bengali New Year celebrations symbolize our commitment to secular harmony. In the UK, it is a well-known festival, particularly in North London. But due to the rainy weather in April, the celebration has been moved to sunnier days in June or July for the past two decades. Whether it's thousands of people or just a few hundred, the spirit remains the same. Homes come alive with traditional designs (alpana), food, and cultural programs reflecting Bengali heritage.

Although there is little official government or council involvement, the Bengali diaspora has created its own cultural space. Such community-led initiatives are observed in major cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester. Through this, the celebration brings people closer, even the new generation growing up abroad. It even introduces Japanese people to our culture.

As Bengalis, we are proud of our identity. Pohela Boishakh rekindles our collective spirit and love for Bengali culture. It is a festival for all. It is a celebration of a new beginning, a symbol of a fresh life. It encourages us to forget past mistakes and failures and look forward to peace and prosperity. The cycle of seasons, as expressed by poets, touches our emotions through the diverse expressions of nature. The seasons remind us that change is the only constant in life. In this ever-changing world, mortal humans find joy, and festivals are born. These festivities breathe emotion, color, and the elixir of new life into our daily lives.

Globally, this cycle continues. English poet John Keats, in his famous poem 'The Human Seasons', compares the seasons to the stages of human life — spring as youth, summer as aging youth, autumn as maturity, and winter as old age. And spring — the peak of youth — brings joy and festivals knocking at our doors. People of all ages and backgrounds join, but it’s the youth who are the heartbeat of the celebration. Spring brings new leaves to forests and the call of the cuckoo bird fills young hearts with delight.

In life, there is sorrow alongside joy, and moments of loss with triumph. We gain and lose — yet our desire to move forward never fades. As we bid farewell to the old year, we welcome the new one with hope — the hope of not repeating past mistakes. Pohela Boishakh means 'hal khata' (traditional account book opening), village fairs, ferris wheels, cotton candy, toys, music, circus, and folk dances. The scale has grown, changes have come, but the emotional connection remains strong. “Shubho Noboborsho” (Happy New Year) is still the way we wish each other peace, happiness, and prosperity.

This is a festival for every Bengali — beyond religion or color. It should be the main national celebration of Bengalis. Yet, there have been attempts to divide and misrepresent it. The Pakistani rulers once tried to suppress our cultural heritage, labeling it as “Hindu customs.” But Bengalis never accepted that. We've continued to celebrate Pohela Boishakh as a secular, inclusive festival. Resistance is a natural trait of Bengalis — the Pakistanis couldn’t stop us, and instead, they were the ones defeated.

Boishakh arrives with the call for new beginnings. Let us reaffirm our commitment — we will not surrender to fear, we will strive to be better human beings. Let religion not cloud our reason or compassion. Let us remember: 'religion is for humans, not humans for religion'. Humans brought religion; religion did not bring humans.

Let us welcome the new year — 1432 in the Bengali calendar — with a vow to resist all backwardness and light the flame of hope in the darkness. 'Shubho Noboborsho'. Victory to the Bengali people. Victory to humanity. Our path forward is not blind modernity, but a renewal rooted in rich tradition. Compared to today’s flashy pop concerts, the traditional musical gatherings of the past had far more soul. There was a meaningful exchange between artist and audience. We witnessed these in the 1950s and ’60s — from folk singers to classical music performances. Even rural artists held their own with flair. Today, people are busy. Brief moments of entertainment are all they seek — and modern media offers it. But we must blend technology with tradition, not reject it. This is how we’ll nurture refined taste that spreads the spirit of celebration across all levels of society.

Starting from the New Year, every festival should bring back cultural heritage. Many new celebrations have emerged alongside the traditional “thirteen festivals in twelve months.” That’s a good thing. Every day can become a celebration — as long as it becomes a celebration of humanity. With this wish for Bengali New Year, we call on Boishakh: come with beauty and gentleness, cast away the old, bring joy and drive away despair. Come with the elegance of Bengali identity, with the aesthetic charm of red and white, as a symbol of sanctity and festivity.

Come, Boishakh — with a pledge to end discrimination, with the light of the future, with the warmth of love woven into Boishakhi sarees, with radiant hearts and sincere emotions, with the commitment to make Bangladesh’s immense potential a reality, and the resolve to eradicate all social prejudices. Come — as a symbol of good fortune, with only modest and pure joy.

Raihan Ahmed Topadar: Researcher and columnist