New Year Festivities Light Up Bangladesh, Bharat, Myanmar and Southeast Asia

Dhaka/New Delhi/Naypyidaw: A wave of festivity swept across Bangladesh, Bharat, Myanmar, and other Southeast Asian nations as millions of people marked the traditional New Year with cultural vibrancy, ancient rituals, and community celebrations. The mid-April observances, rooted in regional calendars, united people across faiths and borders in a colourful display of heritage and hope.

In Bangladesh, Pohela Boishakh ushered in the Bengali year 1432 with jubilant processions and cultural events. Inhabitants of the Muslim-majority nation celebrated the occasion with traditional fervour, gathering in vibrant rallies and artistic performances. A major highlight was the Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra, a festive procession from Dhaka University’s campus, joined by thousands clad in ethnic attire and showcasing local music and art.

Events were also held at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy, and other public venues, celebrating the country’s diverse culture and unity. Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, in a video message, wished everyone a joyous New Year and urged citizens to work towards building a discrimination-free, peaceful, and harmonious Bangladesh.

In Bharat, New Year celebrations spanned several states with distinct names and traditions. In West Bengal, Poila Boishakh was observed a day later, while Assam welcomed the Assamese New Year 1432 with a week-long Rongali or Bohag Bihu. Rooted in the Bhaskarabda calendar—named after 7th-century Kamrup ruler Bhaskar Barma—the celebration began with Goru Bihu, a ritual honouring cattle.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings on the occasion of Bohag Bihu, Vaisakhi, Vishu, Poila Boishakh, Puthandu Pirapu, Meshadi and Vaishakhadi. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Governor Lakshman Acharya also conveyed wishes, emphasizing the spiritual and cultural significance of Bihu in agrarian life.

“Goru Bihu is one of Assam’s most sacred and meaningful traditions, celebrating Gomata as a symbol of motherhood, purity, and sustenance in Sanatan Dharma,” Governor Acharya said in his message.

Meanwhile, Myanmar marked the five-day Thingyan festival beginning April 13, culminating in the New Year 1386 on April 17. Despite the ongoing civil conflict and humanitarian crisis, citizens observed the water-splashing rituals and lit up monasteries and pagodas in a spirit of resilience and remembrance.

Neighbouring Thailand celebrated Songkran, or the Thai Water Festival, welcoming the Buddhist year 2568 from April 13 to 15. Legend links the celebration to the Hindu deity Indra, who is believed to descend during this period to bathe Lord Buddha. Similar traditional New Year celebrations also took place in Cambodia, Laos, and parts of China.

Across these nations, the mid-April New Year serves as a unifying cultural milestone, cutting across religious and ethnic lines to renew the collective spirit of peace, inclusivity, and shared tradition.