Festivals in Bangladesh

What is Festival?An event traditionally staged by a community.Celebrating some unique aspect of that community and their traditions.Sometimes they celebrates as a local or national holiday.These celebrations offer a sense of belonging for religious, social and ethnic group.Festivals and BangladeshBangladesh is a country where colorful fairs and festivals are held throughout the year in a befitting manner and with great zeal and zest. With changes in social and economic structures, the nature of festivals also changes, but some festivals are so deeply rooted in the social organism that they continue to entertain people from generation to generation.Names of Different FestivalsEidDurga PujaBuddha PurnimaPahela BoishakhVictory DayWorld Mother Language DayIndependence DayEkushey Boi MelaJabbar-er Boli KhelaHoli FestivalFestivals in Pictures

EidEid is the largest religious festival in Bangladesh.In Eid-ul Fitr, it is celebrated after a month,Ramadan, of fasting and on the 1st day of Shawal.Eid-ul Adha is the second biggest festival celebrated in Bangladesh.

Durga Puja Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga.It celebrates in a six day long program.Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil.

Buddha Purnima Buddha Purnima is a holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists on different days in different parts of the world.It actually commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha in southern tradition.

Pahela BoishakhPahela Boishakh is, the first day of Bangla new year, celebrated through out the Bangladesh.People celebrate this day by wearing traditional Bengali dress and by eating hilsha fish with watered rice.People wear colorful dress in this occasions and there are lots of arrangements of cultural programs in city areas.

Victory DayIt is a national holiday celebrated on December 16 to commemorate the victory of Bangladesh over the Pakistan in the Liberation War in 1971. The celebration of Victory Day has taken place since 1972. There is a joyous celebration of Victory Day in which popular culture plays a great role.

World Mother Language Day1 February is observed throughout the country to pay respect and homage to the sacred souls of the martyrs' of Language Movement of 1952.Nationals pay homage to the martyrs by placing flora wreaths at the Shahid Minar.The day has been declared World Mother Language Day by UNESCO.

Ekushey Boi MelaEkushey Grontho Mela is the national book fair of Bangladesh. It takes place over whole month of February each year, and is dedicated to the agitators who died on 21 February 1952.People from all walks of life attend this fair with great enthusiasm.

Independence DayMarch 26 is the day of Independence of Bangladesh.This day is most befittingly observed and the capital wears a festive look. The citizens of Dhaka wake up early in the morning with the booming of guns heralding the day.Citizens from all walks of life place floral wreaths at the National Martyrs Monument at Savar.

Jabbar-er Boli KhelaBoli Khela is a traditional form of wrestling in Bangladesh. It is particularly popular in the Chittagong area.

HoliHoli is a spring festival also known as the festival of colours or the festival of love.It is an ancient religious Hindu festival.In Bangladesh, It is celebrated with joy in Puran Dhaka.

Customs and Etiquette in FestivalsMeeting & GreetingGift Giving EtiquetteDining EtiquetteMeeting and GreetingPeople from different walks of life try to meet family and friends in different festivals.People visits places with their family and enjoy festivals.Gift GivingGifts are given to family members or friends in a festival.It is becoming a social convention nowadays.

Dining EtiquetteFamily and friends are invited to dinner in different festivals.Hosts always try to fulfill the demand of their guests with what they have. Thank You.