BANGLADESH

Apart from the Bengali-speaking people across the country, foreigners also celebrated Pahela Baishakh, marking the advent of Bengali New Year, amid fanfare, festivity and gaiety.

They rushed to Ramna Batamul, the main venue of the celebrations, Suhrawardy Udyan, Shahbagh, Dhaka University campus and other programme venues in the city and elsewhere in the country to hail the New Year 1419.

Talking to bdnews24.com on the celebrations of the Bengali New Year, Eric Woods, an education expert of the Commonwealth International, said, "Festivity is all around which is very fascinating."

"Though I'm not a Bangladeshi national, the festival has touched my heart."

Jehoma Gerson, a Dutch tourist who has come to Bangladesh for the first time, said, "It appears that I'm in my own country. In our country, we celebrate Queen's Day in the second week of April. We wear colourful dresses and enjoy throughout the day."

Two Belgium nationals – Gym Ross and Pierre Martin – who have been in Dhaka for the last one year took part in the Mongol Shobha Jatra, one of the major attractions of the Baishakhi celebration in the city brought out by the students and teachers of the Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) of Dhaka University.

Asked about their reaction, they said, "Excellent, we've enjoyed the whole arrangement very much."

An Argentinean couple Diego Augustine and Ursula Augustine who have come to Bangladesh three weeks back said, "Today, everything is very colourful. We've are enjoying it very much."

British national Bob McIntosh who has been in Bangladesh as project advisor of a non-government organisation said he is overwhelmed by the fun and frolic around.

"It never thought there could be such beautiful art work here," he added.

After seeing colour combinations used in the Mongol Shobha Jatra of the Fine Arts faculty of Dhaka University, he said the folk culture of the country is very rich.

Rebecca Parton and Loyen Hertz, two students of Vermont University and Chicago University of the USA, said in broken Bangla: "Shubho Nababarsha".

Rebecca said, "It's our first time in Bangladesh. We feel the people of the country are very friendly and cordial."

"I come to see Mongol Shobha Jatra every year during the celebrations of Pahela Boishakh. It feels good to come here," said Taiko Mitsuhashi, an official of Japanese embassy in Dhaka, who has been here for the last three years.