Culture of Bangladesh (Part- 3)

Architecture and heritage

Main article: Architecture of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has appealing architecture from historic treasures to contemporary landmarks. It has evolved over centuries and assimilated influences from social, religious and exotic communities. Bangladesh has many architectural relics and monuments dating back thousands of years.

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  1752 Kantajew Temple, prominent Hindu architecture of Bangladesh.
 
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  Lalbagh Fort, a Mughal architecture of Bangladesh
 
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  Ahsan Manzil in Dhaka,Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture of Bangladesh
 
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  Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban, the house of the Parliament of Bangladesh.

Sports

Main article: Sport in Bangladesh

A cricket match between Bangladesh & India at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Cricket is the most popular sport in Bangladesh, followed by football.Kabaddi is the national sport in Bangladesh. Cricket is a game which has a massive and passionate following in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has joined the elite group of countries eligible to play Test cricketsince 2000. The Bangladesh national cricket team goes by the nickname of the Tigers – after the royal Bengal tiger. The people of Bangladesh enjoy watching live sports. Whenever there is a cricket or football match between popular local teams or international teams in any local stadium significant number of spectators gather to watch the match live. The people also celebrate major victories of the national teams with great enthusiasm for the live game. Victory processions are the most common element in such celebrations. A former prime minister even made an appearance after an International one day cricket match in which Bangladesh beat Australia, she came to congratulate the victory. Also in late 2006 and 2007, football legendZinedine Zidane paid a visit to local teams and various events thanks to the invite of Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Some traditional sports of Bangladesh include Nouka Baich, Kho Kho, Boli Khela, Lathi Khela etc.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Bangladesh

See also: Islam in Bangladesh, Hinduism in Bangladesh, Buddhism in Bangladesh, and Christianity in Bangladesh

Baitul Mukarram National Mosque

Aroti during Durga Puja in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Buddha Dhatu Zadi, a Buddhist temple in Bandarban

Bangladesh is ethnically homogeneous, withBengalis comprising 98% of the population. Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country. Muslimsconstitute around 90% of the population in Bangladesh while Hindusand Buddhists are the most significant minorities of the country. Christians, Sikhs and atheists form a very minuscule part of the population. But due to immense cultural diversity, multiple dialects, hybridization of social traits and norms as well as cultural upbringing, Bangladeshis cannot be stereotyped very easily, except for the only fact that they are very resilient in nature. People of different religions perform their religious rituals with festivity in Bangladesh. The Government has declared National Holidays on all important religious festivals of the four major religions. Eid al-Fitr, Durga Puja, Christmas, and Buddha Purnimaare celebrated with enthusiasm in Bangladesh. All of these form an integral part of the cultural heritage of Bangladesh. People from several tribal communities like Chakma, Garo, Khasi, Jaintia, Marma, Santhal, Manipuri, Tripuri, Tanchangya, Mru, Mandi, Kuki, Bawm, Oraon, Khiang, Chak, Dhanuk, Munda, Rohingya also have their own respective festivals. Apart from these religious and tribal celebrations there are also several secular festivals.Pohela Boishakh is the biggest cultural event among all the festivals in Bangladesh. Bangladesh also observes 21 February as Shaheed Dibas, 26 March as Independence Day, and 16 December as Victory Day.

Culture of Bangladesh (Part- 2)

Pohela Boishakh

Main article: Pohela Boishakh

Pohela Baishakh celebration in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Pôhela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar. It is usually celebrated on 14 April. Pohela Boishakh marks the start day of the crop season. Usually on Pôhela Boishakh, the home is thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned; people bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes. They spend much of the day visiting relatives, friends, and neighbours and going to the fair. Fairs are arranged in many parts of the country where various agricultural products, traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics, as well as various kinds of food and sweets are sold. The fairs also provide entertainment, with singers, dancers and traditional plays and songs. Horse races, bull races, bullfights, cockfights, flying pigeons, and boat racing were once popular. All gatherings and fairs consist a wide spread of Bengali food and sweets. The most colourful New Year's Day festival takes place in Dhaka. Large numbers of people gather early in the morning under the banyan tree at Ramna Park where Chhayanat artists open the day with Rabindranath Tagore's famous song, Esho, he Boishakh, Esho esho (Come, year, come, come). A similar ceremony welcoming the new year is also held at the Institute of Fine Arts (Dhaka) and University of Dhaka. Students and teachers of the institute take out a colourful procession and parade to round the campus. Social and cultural organisations celebrate the day with cultural programmes. Newspapers bring out special supplements. There are also special programmes on radio and television. Prior to this day, special discounts on clothes, furniture, electronics and various deals and shopping discounts are available. Special line of saree, usually cotton, white sarees with red print and embroidery is sold before this day as everyone dresses up for this day. Jasmine flowers are also a huge sale for this event which adorns the women's hair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM5tpY0bjJc

Language day

Main article: International Mother Language Day

Shaheed Minar

In 1952, the emerging middle classes of East Bengal underwent an uprising known later as the Bangla Language Movement. Bangladeshis (then East Pakistanis) were initially agitated by a decision by the Central Pakistan Government to establish Urdu, a minority language spoken only by the supposed elite class of West Pakistan, as the sole national language for all of Pakistan. The situation was worsened by an open declaration that "Urdu and only Urdu will be the national language of Pakistan" by the governor, Khawaja Nazimuddin.

Police declared Section 144 which banned any sort of meeting. Defying this, the students of University of Dhaka and Dhaka Medical College and other political activists started a procession on 21 February 1952. Near the current Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police fired on the protesters and numerous people, including Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Sofiur Rahman, Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar, died.

The movement spread to the whole of East Pakistan and the whole province came to a standstill. Afterwards, the Government of Pakistan relented and gave Bengali equal status as a national language.

This movement is thought to have sown the seeds for the independence movement which resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. Commemoration

To commemorate this movement, Shaheed Minar (শহীদ মিনার), a solemn and symbolic sculpture, was erected in the place of the massacre. The day is revered in Bangladesh and, to a somewhat lesser extent, in West Bengal as the Martyrs' Day.

This day is the public holiday in Bangladesh.

UNESCO decided to observe 21 February as International Mother Language Day. The UNESCO General Conference took a decision to that took effect on 17 November 1999 when it unanimously adopted a draft resolution submitted by Bangladesh and co-sponsored and supported by 28 other countries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM5tpY0bjJc

Durga Puja

Main article: Durga Puja

Durga puja in Dhakeshwari Temple,Dhaka

Being the biggest festival of minority Hindus, loud and colourful six-day long Durga Puja celebration spans across the country. Pandals are set up in various cities, towns and villages throughout Bangladesh. Durga Puja is still a large cultural attraction in Dhaka. Dhakeshwari Temple, Ramakrishna Mission and Joykali temple as well as many local committees organise puja in a grand manner. Effigies are built and paraded through the streets of Shankhari Bazaar in Old Dhaka before being dumped into Buriganga river on the final day of the festival. Fairs are also held in the area and boat race is organised on Buriganga river during the festival. All educational institutions remain closed for six days. Most of the pujas take place in Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Naogaon, Thakurgaon, Pabna, Faridpur, Narayanganj, Gopalganj, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Habiganj, Sunamganj, Maulavibazar, Jessore, Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong where there are significant concentrations of Hindus. On Vijayadashami, idols are carried out in large processions and immersed into nearby rivers or ponds.

Weddings

Main article: Bengali marriage

Relatives decorating the bride with traditional wedding turmeric in a Bangladeshi Gaye Holud ceremony in Dhaka.

A traditional wedding is arranged by Ghotoks (matchmakers), who are typically friends or relatives of the couple. The matchmakers facilitate the introduction, and also help agree the amount of any settlement. Bengali weddings are traditionally in five parts: first it is the bride and groom's Mehendi Shondha, the bride's Gaye Holud, the groom's Gaye Holud, the Beeya, and the Bou Bhaat. These often take place on separate days. The first event in a wedding is an informal one: the groom presents the bride with a ring marking the "engagement" which is gaining popularity. For the mehendi shondha the bride's side apply henna to each other as well as the bride for the bride's Gaye Holud, the groom's family – except the groom himself – go in procession to the bride's home. Bride's friends and family apply turmeric paste to her body as a part of Gaye Hoof bride, and they are traditionally all in matching clothes, mostly orange. The bride is seated on a dais, and the henna is used to decorate the bride's hands and feet with elaborate abstract designs. The sweets are then fed to the bride by all involved, piece by piece. The actual wedding ceremony "Biye" follows the Gaye Holud ceremonies. The wedding ceremony is arranged by the bride's family. On the day, the younger members of the bride's family barricade the entrance to the venue, and demand a sort of admission charge from the groom in return for allowing him to enter. The bride and groom are seated separately, and a Kazi (authorized person by the govt. to perform the wedding), accompanied by the parents and a Wakil(witness) from each side formally asks the bride for her consent to the union, and then the groom for his. The bride's side of the family tries to play some kind of practical joke on the groom such as stealing the groom's shoe. The reception, also known as Bou-Bhaat (reception), is a party given by the groom's family in return for the wedding party. It is typically a much more relaxed affair, with only the second-best wedding outfit being worn.

No let-up in city traffic chaos

Successive costly but unrealistic initiatives failed to improve the capital’s chaotic traffic over the last 11 years.
In no other city of the world traffic management is as chaotic as in the Bangladesh capital.
Experts demanded an end to amateurish experiments spending huge sums that only served the interest of money makers leaving the capital and its residents in the lurch.
The government is planning to reinstall sensor-based automatic traffic signals at Paltan Crossing, Gulistan Crossing, Mohakhali Crossing and the Gulshan 1 Crossing as an experimental project from December.
If the experiment produces positive results, sensor based automatic traffic signals would be reinstalled at 70 points, said officials.
Experts said that it would be a costly journey back to 2005, when the then Dhaka City Corporation had installed sensor based automatic traffic signals at 70 crossings in the capital.
Even officials expressed
doubts about efficacy of sensor based automatic signals in a metropolis with acute shortage of roads.
They said that if the authorities order they are left with no option but to implement even unrealistic projects.
Automatic traffic signals, timer countdowns and digital display boards installed in the past did not work ‘in our capital in the past,’ BUET’s Accident Research Institute director professor Moazzem Hossain told New Age.
He said that traffic signals could be effective in the Bangladesh capital until 1995.
He said reinstallation of sensor based traffic signals would not work in the capital.
Moazzem, a transportation and traffic system expert, said some officials sell traffic problems to the higher authorities in their own interests.
Absence of a single traffic management authority, he said, intensified the congestions on the capital’s roads.
For this reason, he said, no single authority could be held to account for the traffic mismanagement suffered by the residents.
He blamed failure to take methodical, rational and coherent approach for leaving the capital’s traffic in the mess it is.
He said sporadic approaches can’t solve the capital’s traffic problems.
He called for taking low cost projects for resolving the capital’s chaotic traffic.
The capital’s traffic congestions cost $4.6 billion per year in terms of lost time, waste of fuel and health consequences and other losses, says a UNDP study done in 2015-16.
The capital’s two city corporations and Dhaka Metropolitan Police would jointly install the sensor based automatic signal system at four intersection under an Integrated Traffic Management Project planned by Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority.
DTCA would provide the support for the implementation of Tk 36.38 crore pilot project funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency, project director and DTCA additional executive director AKM Myn Uddin Ahmed told New Age.
Installed at fixed gaps sensors, also called detectors would evaluate queues of vehicles stranded in jams and instantly feed the information to the automated control system at the intersections for systematic dispersals, he said.
He said that the four sensor based signalling systems would be operational from December.
The system was due to be operational in June.
A senior road transport and bridges ministry official said that traffic signals became redundant for the capital.
‘We need to remove all traffic signals and build more overpasses and underpasses for smooth traffic movement,’ he said.
The police manually control traffic movement now by keeping traffic waiting for long on sweet whims.
In 2005, sensor based automatic traffic signals were installed at 70 crossings spending Tk 13 crore under a World Bank funded project.
In 2014, timer countdown devices were installed at 70 traffic signals spending Tk 96.71 lakh.
A little earlier, 31 digital display boards were installed at key points of the capital spending Tk 27 crore.
The unused traffic signals, timer countdown devices and digital display boards became show pieces for sending to museums.

Bangladesh Special Security Force (SSF)

Culture of Bangladesh

The Culture of Bangladesh (Bengali: বাংলাদেশের সংস্কৃতি —Bangladesher Sôngskr̥iti) refers to the way of life of the people of Bangladesh. It has evolved over the centuries and encompasses the cultural diversity of several social groups of Bangladesh. The Bengal Renaissance of the 19th and early 20th centuries, noted Bengali writers, saints, authors, scientists, researchers, thinkers,music composers, painters, and film-makers have played a significant role in the development of Bengali culture. The Bengal Renaissance contained the seeds of a nascent political Indian nationalism and was the precursor in many ways to modern Indian artistic and cultural expression. The culture of Bangladesh is composite and over the centuries has assimilated influences of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. It is manifested in various forms, including music, dance, and drama; art and craft;folklore and folktale; languages and literature; philosophy and religion; festivals and celebrations; as well as in a distinct cuisineand culinary tradition.

Music, dance, drama

See also: Music of Bangladesh and Performing arts of Bangladesh

Bangladeshi artists performing in a dance show.

The music and dance styles of Bangladesh may be divided into three categories: classical, folk, and modern.

The classical style has been influenced by other prevalent classical forms of music and dances of the Indian subcontinent and, accordingly, show some influenced dance forms like Bharata Natyamand Kuchipudi.

Several dancing styles in vogue in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent, like Manipuri and Santhali dances, are practiced, but Bangladesh has developed its own distinct dancing styles. Bangladesh has a rich tradition of folk songs, with lyrics rooted in vibrant tradition andspirituality, mysticism, anddevotion. Such folk songs revolve around other themes, including love. The most prevalent folk songs and music traditions include Bhatiali, Baul, Marfati, Murshidi, and Bhawaiya. Lyricists like Lalon Shah, Hason Raja,Kangal Harinath, Romesh Shill, Abbas Uddin, and many unknown anonymous lyricists have enriched the tradition of folk songs of Bangladesh.

In a relatively modern context, Robindro Shongit and Nazrul Giti form precious cultural heritage of Bangladesh. Recently, western influences have given rise to quality rock bands, particularly in urban centers like Dhaka. Several musical instruments, some of them indigenous, are used in Bangladesh, and major musical instruments used are the bamboo flute (bashi), drums (dhol), a single stringed instrument namedektara, a four-stringed instrument called dotara, and a pair of metal bawls used for rhythm effect calledmandira, are important in the culture of Bangladesh. Currently,musical instruments of western origin like guitars, drums, and the saxophone are used, sometimes along with traditional instruments (Muajj).

Media and cinema

Main articles: Media of Bangladesh and Cinema of Bangladesh

The Bangladeshi press is diverse, outspoken and privately owned. Over 200 newspapers are published in the country. Bangladesh Betar is the state-run radio service.^[1] The British Broadcasting Corporation operates the popular BBC Bangla news and current affairs service. Bengali broadcasts from Voice of America are also very popular. Bangladesh Television (BTV) is the state-owned television network. There more than 20 privately owned television networks, including several news channels. Freedom of the media remains a major concern, due to government attempts at censorship and harassment of journalists.

The cinema of Bangladesh dates back to 1898, when films began screening at the Crown Theatre in Dacca. The first bioscope in the subcontinent was established in Dacca that year. The Dhaka Nawab Familypatronized the production of several silent films in the 1920s and 30s. In 1931, the East Bengal Cinematograph Society released the first full-length feature film in Bangladesh, titled the Last Kiss. The first feature film in East Pakistan, Mukh O Mukhosh, was released in 1956. During the 1960s, 25-30 films were produced annually in Dacca. By the 2000s, Bangladesh produced 80-100 films a year. While the Bangladeshi film industry has achieved limited commercial success; the country has produced notable independent film makers. Zahir Raihan was a prominent documentary-maker who was assassinated in 1971. The late Tareque Masud is regarded as one of Bangladesh's outstanding directors due to his numerous productions on historical and social issues. Masud was honored by FIPRESCI at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 for his filmThe Clay Bird. Tanvir Mokammel, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Humayun Ahmed, Alamgir Kabir, Subhash Duttaand Chashi Nazrul Islam are other prominent directors of Bangladesh cinema.

Festivals and celebrations

Festivals and celebrations are an integral part of the culture of Bangladesh. Muslim festivals of Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Milad un Nabi, Muharram, Chand raat, Shab-e-Baraat, Bishwa Ijtema; Hindu festivals of Durga Puja,Rath Yatra, Janmashtami; Buddhist festival of Buddha Purnima; Christian festival of Christmas and secular festivals like Pohela Boishakh, Language Movement Day, Independence Day, Rabindra Jayanti, Nazrul Jayanti witness widespread celebrations and are national holidays in Bangladesh.

Eid ul-Fitr

Main article: Eid ul-Fitr

Males from around the Barashalghar union of Comilla'sDebidwar upazila can be seen attending Khutbah as part of the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers

As the most important religious festival for the majority of Muslims, the celebration of Eid ul-Fitr has become a part of the culture of Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh declares the holiday for three days on Eid-ul Fitr. But practically, all schools, colleges and offices remain closed for a week. This is the happiest time of the year for most of the people in Bangladesh. All outgoing public transport from the major cities have become highly crowded and in many cases the fares tend to rise in spite of government restrictions. On Eid day, the Eid prayers are held all over the country, in open areas like fields, Eidgahs or inside mosques.^[2] After the Eid prayers, people return home, visit each other's home and eat sweet dishes called Shirini,Sheer Khurma and other delicacies like biryani, kofta, kebab etc. Throughout the day people embrace each other and exchange greetings. It is also customary for junior members of the society to touch the feet of the seniors, and seniors returning blessings (sometimes with a small sum of money as a gift). Money and food is donated to the poor. In the rural areas, the Eid festival is observed with great fanfare. Quiet remote villages become crowded. In some areas Eid fairs are arranged. Different types of games includingboat racing, kabaddi, and other traditional Bangladeshi games, as well as modern games like cricket andfootball are played on this occasion. In urban areas, people play music, visit each other's houses, arrange picnics and eat special food. The homes, streets, markets and parks are illuminated with lighting decorations in the evening. Watching movies and television programs has also become an integral part of the Eid celebration in urban areas. All local TV channels air special program for several days for this occasion.

Eid ul-Adhha

Main article: Eid ul-Adha

An urban congregation for Eid-ul-Adha prayers in Dhaka.

The second most important religious festival. The celebration of Eid ul-Adha is similar to Eid ul-Fitr in many ways. The only big difference is the Qurbani or sacrifice of domestic animals on Eid ul-Adha. Numerous temporary marketplaces of different sizes called hatoperate in the big cities for sale of Qurbani animals (usually cows,goats and sheep). In the morning on the Eid day, immediately after the prayer, affluent people thank God for the animal, and then sacrifice it. Less affluent people also take part in the festivity by visiting houses of the affluent who are taking part in qurbani. After the qurbani, a large portion of the meat is given to the poor people. Although the religious doctrine allows the sacrifice anytime over a period of three days starting from the Eid day, most people prefer to perform the ritual on the first day of Eid. However, the public holiday spans over three to four days. Many people from the big cities go to their ancestral houses and homes in the villages to share the joy of the festival with friends and relatives.