Cry for blistering fight

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The Bengali New Year has infused fresh zing to the sprit generated half a century back to find out the self-identity of the nation rising above the religious differences.

The year 1420 began on Sunday with a call to resist the evil acts, unleashed in 1419 over trial of the war criminals, by the defeated force of the 1971 Liberation War.

‘The pledge of this Boishakh is resisting the Razakars’ – was the slogan in almost all programmes of the Pahela Boiskha, or Bengali New Year, celebrations.

Reflected In the celebrations of Chhayanaut, a leading cultural organisation, was the same conviction used as a weapon in the Pahela Boishakh when there were moves to erase the self-identity of the Bengali nation in the then Pakistan.

Sanjida Khatun, chief of Chhayanaut, which has been celebrating Pahela Boishakh at Ramna Batamul for around a century, said: “Now (the anti-liberation force) has to be resisted. These responsibilities are of us all.”

Touch of Protest: Chhayanat's Pahela Boisakh celebration in Ramna Batamul.

The call came at a time when the backward-looking force unleashed a reign of terror across the country amid the movement of Ganajagaran Mancha demanding capital punishment to those who perpetrated war crimes during the war.

It echoed in the statements of East West University student Ariful Islam and retired agriculturist Hamid Hossain that trials of war criminals are the demand of both Liberation War time and present generations.

They both joined the Shahbagh Ganajagaran Mancha on Sunday to raise their voice for a Razakar-free country.

Arif told bdnews24.com: “I heard about the Liberation War as well as the barbarism of these hated Razakars from childhood. I have come here on the first day of the New Year to demand their trial.”

A witness to the atrocities of Pakistan Army’s accomplices Razakar, Al-Badr and Al Shams, Hamid said: “It’s our misforture that they were not tried in the last 42 years. So the only expectation of the New Year is that Razakars would be obliterated from this country.”

There were some changes in this year’s programmes of Chhayanaut that has been the main attraction of New Year celebrations.

The artistes on the main stage were dressed in red and green resembling the colours of the national flag. They sat in a way so that the stage assumed the colour and shape of the national flag.

There were some changes in the selection of songs and poems too.

Just before closing of the programme, Sanjida Khatun said: “Hatred to those who will be silent.”

“We cannot let the country be defeated again and again to the evil force. A good time for Bangladesh will certainly come.”

As soon as Chhayanaut programmes ended, preparations began at Dhaka University’s Institute of Fine Arts to take out Mangal Shobhajatra or well-being parade, one of the main draws over the last two decades.

This year’s theme of the Shobhajatra was ‘Razakar-free Bangladesh, unending Liberation War’.

Dhaka University teacher Mezbah Kamal, who was at the front of the Shobhajatra, said: “Efforts are underway to divide the nation using religion like in 1971. But the efforts won’t be successful. Religion is of individual, but the state is for all.”

The 50-foot dragon in the Shobhajatra symbolised the war criminals. Call was made through the programme to drive away the imaginary creature.

A 50-ft Dragon in Mangal Shobhajatra: Evil which Bangladesh wants an end to

Coordinator of the Shobhajatra Manobendra Ghosh told bdnews24.com: “Those who don’t love the country cannot live in this country.”

After the celebrations at Ramna Batamul were over, functions started at different places in the capital with a similar call.

People in large number irrespective of gender came down on the street to join the celebrations that many see as the protest against the demand of Hifazat-e Islam for banning free mixing of men and women.

Amid the celebrations, a Ganajagaran Mancha rally was held at Shahbagh.