Do you love Bangladesh? If so, then you'll love this detailed blog post about the most common events and festivals in Bangladesh. From the popular Dhaka Book Fair to religious ceremonies, we've got you covered!
Bangladesh is a small, developing country with a rich culture and history. So it was no surprise that there are many events and festivals that people attend in order to celebrate its unique features and experiences. These events include religious ceremonies, literary festivals, music festivals, fairs, etc. In addition to the abovementioned celebrations, there are also monthly cultural shows called Dhaka Arti which showcase some of the best art Bangladeshi artists have to offer; exhibitions at various museums across Dhaka; as well as numerous traditional food joints where you can enjoy delicious Bangladeshi cuisine.
In Bangladesh, there are many different events and festivals that take place throughout the year. Some of the most common events and festivals in Bangladesh include Eid al-Fitr (the holiday marking the end of Ramadan), Maha Bhashya (an event honoring Buddha's birth anniversary), Poya festival, Asom Feria (the biggest fair held in Dhaka every year), and Chittagong Hill Tracts Fair. Here, in this blog, we will let you know what are the most common events and festivals in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is a country with many different cultures. From the ancient Brahmaputra Valley to the modern Dhaka, there are many unique things to see and experience in Bangladesh. Here are some of the most common events and festivals in Bangladesh: Independence Day, Eid al-Fitr, Christmas, and Easter.
Muslims all over the country celebrate Eid with their family and friends. Even non-Muslims join in on this special day. On Eid, Muslims perform a religious exercise called Salat (prayer). They take a shower, put on new clothes, and apply perfume before going to the mosque for prayer. After finishing Prayer, they hug each other and leave the Mosque compound for food and fun at home or out in public places like cinemas or amusement parks. Next, everyone visits their families, neighbors, and relatives before going to sleep at nightfall. In the evening, people go out again to enjoy different activities like Cinema screenings or Laser tag games!
Muslims celebrate Eid every month, which happens about 2 months after the Eid ul Fitr. In addition to Muslims, people perform their Eid Salaat in the morning. This is a religious holiday where they slaughter their favorite animals for Allah and then distribute them among different parts of society according to their needs. The streets are mostly full of cows and goats because those are considered favored animals by Allah. After slaughtering those, people engage themselves in butchering the meat using various methods such as boiling or frying it until its tenderness increases. Then, they eat it with rice and spices before enjoying an evening with everyone.
Durga Puja is an annual festival observed by Hindus. It lasts for 4 days and starts on the Hindu month of Ashvin. This event consists of family and social gatherings as well as religious singing and dancing inside temples. People worship their Goddess Durga during this time period. They perform ancient religious ceremonies such as singing, dancing, and pasting powder color on each other's faces to manifest the celebration mood. After the ceremony ends with idol immersion in a river, people generally return home feeling pleased with themselves.
Gautam Buddha was born on this day in 476 BC. His birthday is celebrated by Buddhists every year according to the Gregorian calendar. This day sees some of the Buddhist temples are decorated and a fair is held outside of them, where people listen to music containing Buddha's message as well as recite precepts from the Buddhist scriptures. The believers attend a prayer service where they light candles and recite jewels and 5 precepts from Buddhism's scripture, the Ten Commandments.
Christmas or ‘Boro Din’ (The Big Day) in Bengali is celebrated among the Christian community as the birth of Jesus Christ. It is an annual occasion observed on 25th December. On this day, the houses are decorated beautifully with lights, flowers, and ribbons. Christmas tree is made or bought from shops. Delicious foods are cooked. In fact, a grand dinner is organized at night which invites neighbors and relatives to come over for lunch! Santa Claus known as Father Christmas arrives at homes wearing red gowns and spectacles with a long white beard during the daytime too! Children love him because he brings gifts wrapped in colorful papers during his visit!
Bengali people have followed Pahela Baishakh with zeal for centuries. This is the 1st day of Bengali New Year and the most popular occasion in Bangladesh. Both men and women are dressed in red and white. Girls wear Saree with colorful bangles and boys wear Panjabi. Various activities are held in many places throughout the day, Bengali foods like Panta Ilish (Hilsha fish and rice), various Pithas (cakes), Candy floss, etc are presented in front of the visitors in a fair! Nagordola (Ferris wheel) is set up for amusement while folk songs are played under Bot-tola (Banyan tree).
Pahela Falgun is one of the most popular days in Bengali Culture. Generally, this day is on the 13th of February of the year. This is the 1st day of spring. People welcome this day wearing yellow and white clothing, and some people buy flowers to present them to their loved ones. Bengali women wear yellow clothes around their heads and they like to use a variety of colors for Spring - mostly Marigold as it has a similar color as Spring - in songs throughout the morning. Cultural Institutes organize programs like dance shows and song performances on this special day.
Nabanna is a celebration among the farmers in rural areas. Farmers are happy because the crop is ready after months of hard toiling. They get part-time work opportunities during this time, especially at this time of year when huge labor forces are appointed to cut crops. The houses are filled with new crops and the smell of new crops can be found everywhere! The return brings happiness to villagers' faces; they celebrate Nabanna with food, dance, and music.
Rowing is a traditional sport that takes place in rural areas. The participants of the same team, ranging from 10 to 20 passengers, ride in a longboat and paddle firmly to put their boat ahead of other participatory teams. This game occurs on large rivers and it generally happens due to any local or national level success. There is usually also prize money for the winner as well- which is handed over by the Regional Chairman.
This annual event occurs in Dhaka, at the Old Town at the end of the Bengali month ‘Poush.’ The event is also known as Poush Sankranti. It is a Kite festival and it starts in the afternoon until evening. People from various places come to enjoy scenes in Old Town during this time period. There are fireworks everywhere to maximize pleasure! Delicious refreshments and DJ programs are organized throughout the evenings too! Everyone drinks and dances throughout the night while enjoying themselves.
Dhaka is home to a new tradition - the National Cake Festival. This yearly event showcases creativity and art in various ways, from the rural areas to the capital city. In winter, pithas or cakes are made in different parts of Bangladesh and sent to friends and relatives; but this culture is quite uncommon for people living in Dhaka. That's why Shilpakala Academy- known for its rich art and culture- has come up with this innovative idea. Presenting sweetcakes in front of people who have an appreciation for creative expression and dance programming.
The concert is jointly organized by Young Bangla and the center for Research and Information (CRI). This event commemorates the famous speech of the Father of the Nation – Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibur Rahman. In order to awaken the spirit of youth, as well as feel liberated war memories and own country, various local bands will perform patriotic songs at this event. Surprisingly, this fair usually attracts a lot fewer people than usual due to youngsters not really interested in attending it every year.
The Boi Mela or Book Fair is an annual event that takes place on the 21st of February. This fair is a reflection of Language Martyrs who died in 1952 and had an impact on the independence of Bangladesh. The fair is held at Shahbag within the Dhaka University area, organized by Bangla Academy. People come from all around the world to attend this event which lasts for 30 days and includes writing, authors, poets, professors as well as fans collecting their autographs; taking pictures and exchanging a few words between them.
This is an annual fair which happens every year in January. Companies from all over the world come to this fair to sell their goods and services to Bangladeshi businessmen and tourists. Over thousands of stalls and pavilions are set up, especially for the foreigners who visit Bangladesh during this time of year. No surprise that a lot of products and services are found at this international trade fair! From food shops such as Dhaka’s famous Coffee House to clothes like Bangladesh’s most popular brand T-Shirts to consumer products such as air conditioners or smartphones, everything is on offer at this huge event!
Planting trees has become an important initiative in the current global climate. In this hostile era of global warming, the importance of tree planting is inevitable. This fair has a duration of 30 days and takes place at Agargaon, Dhaka – the same place as the Dhaka International Trade fair. About thousands of nursery owners participate in this fair to sell their plants. Thankfully, the response is also overwhelming! The busy urban people buy some time to visit the fair and purchase mostly the rooftop plants - even some are also fond of interior plants to improve their home's beauty!
Bangladesh, known as the Land of Joy and Happiness, is a beautiful country that celebrates its festivals with a great deal of enthusiasm. This year’s Festival of Bangladesh will be held from September 17 to September 23 in Dhaka, the capital city. The festival is a great opportunity to enjoy the charms of this lovely country and see some of its most popular attractions. Here are a few things you can expect during the festival: live music, delicious food, interesting demonstrations, and much more.
