ANI
06 Apr 2026, 13:30 GMT+10
Dhaka [Bangladesh], April 6 (ANI): The UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage event of Bangladesh is facing fresh fire after a petition was filed to ban 'Mangal Shobhajatra' procession during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations, calling it a threat to communal harmony and hurting majority religious sentiments, BD News 24 reported on Sunday.
According to BD News 24, Supreme Court lawyer Mahmudul Hassan filed a petition seeking permanent ban on the 'Mangal Shobhajatra' procession during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations--calling the decades old tradition, 'artificial', 'contrary to religious faith'.
The Supreme Court lawyer said that the event threatens communal harmony, public safety, and national stability by hurting majority religious sentiments.
Lawyer Mahmudul Hassan moved the High Court on Sunday, naming the secretaries of the ministries of culture, religion, and home affairs, the Dhaka deputy commissioner, the Dhaka University vice-chancellor, and the dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts as respondents, it was reported.
Calling the procession not an ancient Bengali tradition but rather a 'modern creation' started in 1989 under the name 'Anondo Shobhajatra', the petitioner argued that the practice of parading large replicas of birds, fish, and animals to seek 'well-being' (Mangal) contradicts Islamic beliefs, as Muslims believe such blessings should only be sought from God.
Previously after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government in Bangladesh, the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus had dropped the word 'Mangal' (auspicious) from the name of the procession, the Bangladeshi ourtlet reported.
Meanwhile, for the 1433 Bengali New Year set to be observed in just a few days, Dhaka University announced on March 30 that the event would be held as 'Anondo Shobhajatra'.
The iconic procession gained international status in 2016 when UNESCO inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The change sparked a social media backlash and prompted a response from Culture Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury.
While the minister said there was 'no need' to change the name during the interim period, he later clarified that the official title for this year's event would simply be 'Baishakhi Shobhajatra'.
As the government navigates with the nomenclature, the petitioner is seeking a court order to restrain the authorities from organising, approving, or promoting the procession in any form, BD News 24 said. (ANI)
Get a daily dose of Myanmar Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Myanmar Sun.
More Information(260406) -- HANOI, April 6, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Tran Thanh Man is sworn in as Vietnam's National Assembly chairman in Hanoi, Vietnam,...
(260406) -- HANOI, April 6, 2026 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on April 6, 2026 shows a scene at the first session of the 16th National...
Dhaka [Bangladesh], April 6 (ANI): The UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage event of Bangladesh is facing fresh fire after a petition...
Dhaka [Bangladesh], April 6 (ANI): High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh's Prime...
Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 6 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday invoked the St. Kitts forgery case to target...
(260406) -- HANOI, April 6, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Tran Thanh Man delivers a speech at the first session of the 16th National Assembly of...
MANAMA, Bahrain: A man detained in Bahrain last month as the island kingdom came under missile attack from Iran vanished for days,...
TOKYO, Japan: The collapse of aging cherry blossom trees in Tokyo has raised safety concerns during Japan's peak hanami season, even...
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that U.S. military forces have successfully executed two separate, high-risk...
BERLIN, Germany: Five European Union countries have urged Brussels to introduce a windfall tax on energy companies, arguing that firms...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a dramatic escalation of the war that began nearly five weeks ago, Iran brought down two U.S. military planes...
BEIRUT, Lebanon: Iranian intelligence agents have detained leading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh at her house in Tehran,...
