Bangladeshis celebrate beginning of Bengali New Year with colourful parade, music and dance

Thousands of people in Bangladesh on Tuesday ushered in the Bengali New Year 1433 with colorful processions and cultural festivities.

In Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, people clad in the traditional red attire celebrated the first day of the new year by joining a procession with artifacts of folk motifs organized by a prominent art college on the Dhaka University campus.

In addition, an annual festival by a cultural group offered a musical soiree in the British-era Ramna Park in the capital.

Amid the festive atmosphere, people hoped to leave behind past burdens and embrace a new future.

“Our hope for the New Year is that all the hardships and suffering of the past year will fade away, and that we can start our lives anew in a colorful and beautiful way,” said a student who attended the festivities.

This year’s celebration follows the national election held in February in the Muslim-majority nation of more than 170 million people after two years of political turmoil.

The new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, greeted people on the occasion.

Tuesday’s peaceful processions were heavily guarded by security.

AP video shot by El Emrun Garjon