By Mustak Zahid
DHAKA: The heart of Dhaka came alive on Monday as thousands took to the streets for the Ananda Shobhajatra, a vibrant cultural procession marking the Bengali New Year with a defiantly political edge. Organised by the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University, this year’s celebration was not merely a feast of colour and creativity but a powerful declaration against authoritarianism, intolerance, and political repression.
With the stirring slogan “Nababarsh-er Oikotan, Fascibader Oboshan” — “The Harmony of New Year, End to Fascism” — the procession wove through the capital’s key landmarks in a display of unity, resistance, and hope. The rally drew students, academics, artists, and activists, including representatives from 28 ethnic minority communities, all marching together in solidarity.
Leading the Shobhajatra were Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan and Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, joined by members of civil society and a sea of young people. Starting at 9 a.m., the march made its way through Shahbagh, TSC, the Shaheed Minar, Doel Square, and Bangla Academy before circling back to the Faculty of Fine Arts — the epicentre of both preparation and resistance.
The procession’s artistry was striking: eight towering motifs stood as symbolic statements — from depictions of fascist tyranny and the spirit of freedom, to national emblems like the royal Bengal tiger and hilsa fish. A massive 100-foot painting unfurled on the streets, and a watermelon-shaped effigy declared solidarity with Palestine. Peace was embodied in a white dove sculpture, while horse-drawn carriages and ornamental rickshaws offered a throwback to pre-modern Dhaka.
