Photo Copyright (c) 2011 Shawkat Osman

The biggest religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh is the festival of Durga Puja. Hindus participate in this festival with great devotion. Durga Puja is an old festival but it is difficult to say with any degree of certainty exactly how old it is.

The oldest manifestation of goddess Durga, who slew the Mahisasura, belonged to the fifteenth century AD. A series of festivals, centering on Durga Puja, is held in Bangladesh. Usually, on the sixth lunar day of the bright fortnight in the Bengali month of Ashwin, the ceremonial awakening of the goddess Durga takes place. Thereafter, Puja is performed for three days on the seventh, eighth and ninth and the immersion of the image of the goddess Durga (with her companions) takes place on the tenth day. People exchange greetings during a period of fifteen days after the immersion of the image of the deity.

New Year’s festivities are closely linked with rural life in Bengal. Usually on Pohela Boishakh, the home is thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned; people bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes. They spend much of the day visiting relatives, friends, and neighbors. Special foods are prepared to entertain guests. This is one rural festival that has become enormously big in the cities, especially in Dhaka.

Various agricultural products, traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics, as well as various kinds of food and sweets are sold at these fairs. The fairs also provide entertainment, with singers and dancers staging jatra (traditional plays), pala gan, kobigan, jarigan, gambhira gan, gazir gan and alkapgan. They present folk songs as well as baul, marfati, murshidi and bhatiali songs. Narrative plays like Laila-Majnu, Yusuf-Zulekha and Radha-Krishna are staged. Among other attractions of these fairs are puppet shows and merry-go-rounds.

photo-internet

24th Feb, 2009

i was awaken by phone ringing at 10.30 in the morning.  It was my eldest sister, (in terrified tone) “where are you? stay home, don’t go anywhere. Gunfire have been going on near Riffles Square (a market near BDR gate-3).” My respose wasn’t instant. i slowly went toward the television so that i can watch what is wrong.  Hitting the local T.V. channels,  i saw Live Telecast were going on. Reporters where reporting nervously. It took about a while to understand what is going on in BDR Pillkhana. So many questions arose in my mind in a split of a second- who is revolting? if revolting why they are revolting? how come descpline force like BDR creating mischief on the land? The media was not providing vivid pictures. While my questions remained unanswered, i kept on watching all the local channels in search of good news and latest updates.  i received a phone call from a friend that all classes have been cancelled due to unavoidable reasons. As far as i can remember it was around 12.30. By then it was clear that at a conference in the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles, BDR pointed his weapon at the force commander. Some commotion ensued, according to investigators, and then other guards stormed the hall. Gunfire could be heard blocks away. Hundreds of civilians who lived, worked and went to school inside the compound were trapped. Even a helicopter was sent to drop leaflets from the government. That leaflet massage was not to take break law. However, the mutineers shot 7 rounds at the helicopter.

The first day media potrayed BDR was victimized by army officers or DG (Director General) of BDR. They  complained they dont get proper food, salary and transport. They don’t get opportunity to go to a missions etc. As a result, sympathy grew in general public’s hearts towards BDR. But they didnt know what was going inside Pillkhana? if they were..they wouldnt support for sure. i think the media failed to present valid and verified news. It was biased and one sided. In a manner the media presented in the 1st day, everyone thought the revolt was justified. Sadly, i saw people clapping, jumping infront one of the BDR gates. It’s a matter of national disgrace that  some people of Bangladesh were busy celebrating by dancing and jumping with joy, whereas people inside Pillkhana were counting last moments and rest had already counted of their life.

Even a helicopter was sent to drop leaflets from the government. That leaflet massage was not to take break law. However, the mutineers shot 7 rounds at the helicopter. Fire and smoke can be seen from the outer perimeters of the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters. The army took position around the compound but did not attack.

Government representative, Home Minister tried to negotiate in every possible way. Even, she rescued some hostages.

Next day, gun firing continued till PM gave her speech to the nation, asked the mutineers to surrender and set free all the families of army officers kept as a hostage. If they failed to do so, strong action will be taken.

In 33 hours of mutiny, 150 officers were killed brutally. Among them top ranked officers such as major general, brigadier general, Lt. Colonel, Major were killed. In no battle field top rank officers were killed in a huge number at a time. The brutality was enormous. The mutineers threw the dead bodies of the army officers into manholes; mass engraved dead bodies.

I wonder how come 7000 solders escaped while the BDR Pillkhana was cordoned by RAB and army. For sure it wasn’t cordoned properly whereas 150 talented officers couldn’t get out.

The brutality was immense. We lost brilliant officers and some unarmed lives during this mutiny. This loss is unfulfillable. The whole nation was shattered apart. Now, I realize how horrible liberation war was. I salute all the brilliant officers who gave their life and on the other hand, demand justice for such inhumanity. I pray for the lost souls. Lastly, I don’t want people of Bangladesh do anything against their motherhood in exchange of some monetary value.

The fair this year was more organized and lively with the participation of readers, writers and publishing houses alike. A total of 436 stalls had been allocated to 297 institutions and publishing houses this year, with expanded accommodation facilities spilling over the precincts of the academy.

The fair will remained open for all from 3:00pm to 9:00pm on working days and from 11:00am to 9:00pm on weekends. On February 21, the International Mother Language Day, the fair remained open from 8:00 in the morning till 10:00pm.

On 21st February, 1952 a group students violated section 144, in the protest of Urdu would be the alone state language of East Pakistan. “Urdu and Urdu shall be the state language of East Pakistan.” – Governor General Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Afterwards, The policemen on duty tried to disperse the students by firing blanks. When this failed, the police fired into the crowd. In the firing Abul Barkat, a university student, Rafiq Uddin ahmed, a student of Debendra College, Manikganj, and Abdul Jabbar, a young farmer from Gaffargaon, were killed. Abdus Salam, a bank employee, was injured in the firing and died in hospital later.

The reaction to the police killings was immediate. People began to gather on the premises of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. All over the country, schools and colleges held protest meetings, rallies and processions.On the night of 23 February, the students constructed a shaheed minar (martyrs’ memorial) on the spot where the students had been killed. Three days later, the police demolished the memorial.

Nevertheless, the movement for the recognition of Bangla as a state language gained momentum. Bangla was recognised as one of the state languages of Pakistan at a session of the National Assembly on 9 May 1954.

Till 1971, the day was observed spontaneously, and served as an occasion to revive the feelings of nationalism and Bengali nationhood. After liberation, the day became a national holiday and the University of Dhaka took over the maintenance of the “Shaheed Minar” and the surrounding area and the responsibility of organizing the commemoration. Moreover,  since 2000, 21 February, is also being observed as International Mother Language Day in tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for their mother tongue. Colourful alpana (designs) are painted on the ground, and Bangla verses and prose passages about Bangla are written on the walls facing the Shaheed Minar.

Throughout the day, people of all ages and from all walks of life visit the Shaheed Minar to pay tribute to those who gave their lives for Bangla. Walking slowly, they sing the mournful notes of the elegy, ‘Amar bhaiyer rakte rangano ekushey february ami ki bhulite pari‘ (Can I forget 21 February reddened with the blood of my brothers?).  Apart from this famous song, many poets have written poems on 21st February. In commemoration of the day, Bangla academy holds a month-long book fair and organises literary and cultural events throughout the month. Special programmes are broadcast and telecast highlighting the importance of the day. Different cultural organisations also arrange various functions.

On the occasion, girls are dressed in bashonti (yellow or orange) coloured saree and flowers in hair while boys wear colorful pajama and panjabi to welcome the arrival of spring.

The center point of this festivity is “Bakul-tola” of the Institute of Fine Arts (Commonly known as Charukola) of Dhaka University. The jingle of the celebration is “Esho mili praner utshabe” (Come, let us celebrate life together). Jatiya Boshonto Utshab Udjapan Parishad arranges the main celebration program of the day for over a decade. The celebration usually begins at around 7am in the morning. Thousands of young men and women gather in the morning and celebrate the day with signing songs, reciting poems and dancing. At around 10:00am a rally starts from Bokul-tola, it revolves round the TSC and later ends at Charukola.

The entire Dhaka University Campus and the Ekeushy Boi-mela becomes the best place to hang out with friends, family members and beloved ones.