Dhaka, Bangladesh – This year’s PahelaBaishakh, marking the Bengali New Year, was unlike any in recent memory. Instead of national unity, the holiday exposed deep-seated divisions — all ignited by a last-minute decision to rename one of the country’s most cherished cultural events.
Just days before the celebration, Dhaka University’s Fine Arts Faculty announced a change: the beloved MangalShobhajatra (Auspicious Parade) would now be called BorshoboronAnandaShobhajatra (Joyous New Year Parade). The faculty — which launched the tradition in 1989 during a period of military rule — insists the new title is, in fact, the original one.
Supporters of the move describe it as a symbolic reset, distancing the event from the 15-year rule of the Awami League (AL) and its increasingly authoritarian image. Critics, however, warn that the change risks undermining the parade’s legacy of inclusion and resistance — values it came to embody over decades of political and cultural evolution.
From Resistance to Ritual
Born out of defiance under General Ershad’s military regime, the inaugural 1989 parade featured towering effigies — owls symbolizing corruption, tigers for strength, and doves for peace. It was a cultural protest wrapped in vibrant imagery, reclaiming public space without overt slogans.
In 1996, as democracy returned, the event was renamed MangalShobhajatra. The Sanskrit term mangal, meaning “auspicious” or “prosperous,” was seen as reflecting hopes for collective harmony. But in recent years, conservative and Islamist factions began pushing back, arguing that the word carried Hindu religious connotations. In 2023, a Supreme Court lawyer even filed a legal notice claiming the name offended Muslim sentiments.
Despite these challenges, the Awami League-led government kept the parade intact — until now.
Clashing Visions of Nationhood
At its core, the renaming controversy taps into a larger struggle over Bangladeshi identity. The Awami League has historically championed Bengali nationalism, emphasizing language and ethnicity. Meanwhile, the opposition BNP promotes a vision of Bangladeshi nationalism, rooted more in geography and Islamic heritage.
Cultural Affairs Minister and filmmaker MostofaSarwarFarooki also pointed to historic exclusivity. “The festival was long limited to the Bengali majority,” he said. This year, in a landmark move, the government extended official invitations to 28 ethnic minority groups.
Powerful Symbols, Stark Reactions
While the parade retained traditional elements — colorful animals, folk figures, and festive banners — it also embraced raw political imagery. Leading the march was a massive 20-foot “Face of Fascism” effigy, widely interpreted as a representation of Sheikh Hasina. Another float bore the date “36 July,” referencing the student-led uprising that ended her tenure. A third featured a water bottle — a tribute to Mugdha, a young protester who died helping others during the revolt.
To many, these symbols honored recent sacrifice and reclaimed a lost voice. Others, like theatre academic Kamal Uddin Kabir, were disturbed.
Yet for people like Kaiser Ahmed, who took part in the protests, the day marked a personal and political turning point.
The controversy over the parade’s name is only the surface of a deeper question: who gets to define the nation’s culture?
For some, the shift reflects the danger of politicizing heritage, with each new government reshaping traditions in its own image. Others argue that culture has always been political — the real test is whether it fosters inclusion or division.
For now, the renaming of Bangladesh’s most symbolic parade remains a potent flashpoint. More than just a name, it has become a proxy for the larger battle over what kind of country Bangladesh wants to be.
Join our WhatsApp channel to get updates