by Moh. Abdullah Sadeque, World Bank

Emperor Akbar of the Moghul dynasty, who ruled India from 1556 AD to 1605 AD, felt that the yearly cycle of cash and food crops grown in the country should be synchronized with the solar year of 365 days, to start with the beginning of cultivation of the rice crop and end twelve months later.

The new calendar was named "Fasli Son" meaning, "years counted on the basis of cultivation of crops". Ultimately, the new system proved its worth to the farmers of Bengal province, now Bangladesh. It became the main system of computing years in the life of the people. The first month of the Bangla New Year is Baishakh or summer, starting on April 14.

The first day of Baishakh is observed with festivity in Bangladesh and everywhere Bangla-speaking people live. The beginning of the new year brings severe storms but they are seen as not only destructive but also as sweeping away evils of the past, thereby cleansing the land and its people.

Bangla New Year’s Day is marked by cultural and social functions. It has a profound place in the literature of the nation. There are ceremonies heralding the day, the most remarkable of which is the traditional celebration at dawn at the Ramna Park in Dhaka. Songs, recitations and other programs are held here to welcome the New Year.

For the rural business community, New Year’s Day is especially significant. Businessmen close their accounts and open a new book. Debtors pay their dues.

In homes, rich dishes are prepared, signifying the belief that if the beginning day of the year goes well, the rest will follow in the same way. Relatives and friends exchange greetings and food, particularly sweet dishes.