President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday called upon the countrymen to celebrate the Pahela Baishakh in a digital method staying at their respective homes in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, reports BSS.
They gave separate messages greeting the countrymen on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali New Year 1428, to be celebrated Wednesday.
President Abdul Hamid, in his message, said Pahela Baishakh is a jovial and bright day for a massive get-together of the Bangalees.
“The use of Bangla calendar is interconnected with our social and familial life including art, literature, culture, agriculture, business and festivals,” he said.
So, the head of the state said, the appeal of Bangla New Year is eternal and universal in the life of the Bangalee nation, he added.
The President said this year the nation is going to celebrate the day at a time when the entire world is facing havoc of novel coronavirus outbreak as hundreds of people are dying and being infected by the virus every day and Bangladesh is also a victim of this viral infection.
“Now it is our biggest responsibility to save the country and its people from the clutch of coronavirus. So, it is a must to follow health guidelines and ensure social distancing in a proper manner,” he said.
He said the government has already taken different steps. “So, let us face the corona situation with consciousness without being panicked,” he added.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangla New Year and the Bangalee nationalism are interconnected.
The Bangalee nation irrespective of castes, creeds and religions traditionally bears the New Year festival as one of the major components of their lifestyle and culture, she said.
Terming this year as very significant in national life, the premier said that the Bengali nation are celebrating the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the great independence of Bangladesh this year.
“Following this, next year we will celebrate the diamond jubilee of the great language movement,” she continued.
She also added that the achievements and progress of Bengali nation cannot be suppressed because the contribution of the Bengali-heroes will be remembered and highlighted forever.
The essence of Bangabandhu’s way of life is rooted in ethnic development and progressive prosperity, she said, adding that in that ideology, his common or uniform consciousness has worked for the independence of Bangladesh and the reconstruction of the country.
She hoped that this year’s Baishakh will be a great inspiration for the nation to fight against militancy, fundamentalism, extremism and anti-liberation forces and to build a society free from hunger and poverty and a golden Bangladesh as dreamt by Bangabandhu.
Today, Mangal Shovajatra, a procession brought on the first day of Bengali New Year, has taken a place in the list of UNESCO’s cultural heritage, she said.
She said the present world is facing the disaster of coronavirus outbreak, adding that “Under the circumstances, I urge all to celebrate Bangla New Year staying at homes to avoid public gatherings.”
She urged the people to face the coronavirus situation concertedly.
