desk
Share
Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that anti-freedom forces have illegally seized power and are actively trying to destroy the country's secular culture, and called on the people to overthrow those who have usurped power.
In a statement on the occasion of Bengali New Year - Pohela Baishakh, Hasina said, "Today, anti-independence forces have illegally seized power in Bangladesh. They are actively trying to destroy Bengali culture. In the past, whenever anti-independence forces gained control, they attacked the country's history, heritage and culture."
They not only tried to stop the Mangal Shobha Yatra but also tried to change its name." Bangladesh celebrated Bengali New Year on Monday in a changed cultural landscape.
Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh and came to India last year
Hasina left Bangladesh in August last year. Her nearly 16-year-old Awami League government was toppled in a student-led uprising. After this, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge of the interim government. However, Hasina is currently living in India. She said that those who are now running Bangladesh are "enemies of the nation" and "enemies of our culture".
"We must drive out the anti-independence and anti-culture forces and raise Bangladesh's head high on the global stage," the former prime minister said.
He said, "On this auspicious occasion of Bengali New Year, let us commit ourselves to reject all those things that are part of a distorted culture. Let us instead adopt a healthy, beautiful and creative lifestyle."
The name of the procession "Mangal Shobha Yatra" has been changed
It is noteworthy that this year Bangladesh authorities changed the name of the traditional "Mangal Shobha Yatra" procession, which was a major attraction of Pohela Baishakh celebrations.
It was renamed as "Anando Shobha Yatra" after conservative Islamic organisations like Hefazat-e-Islam called "Mangala Shobha Yatra" a "Hindu ritual" and urged the government to change its name.
The Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University announced the renaming of the event at a press conference last week. The faculty is the main organiser of the colourful street march in Dhaka. Giant masks, handmade puppets and lifelike depictions of animals are the main features of the procession.
--Advertisement--
