As elsewhere in the country, socio-cultural and educational organisations of the port city are now busy readying to herald Pohela Boishakh, the first day of the Bangla New Year, and to bid farewell to the old year.  

This year, Sammilito Pohela Boishakh Udjapon Parishad will organise a two-day programme at DC hill premises, in keeping with a 38-year-old tradition where spectators enjoy the programme from a hill-slope gallery in a natural ambience.

Almost every cultural organisation in the port city is busy with rehearsals to take part in the traditional programme, said Theatre Institute Chittagong's director and member secretary of Sammilito Pohela Boishakh Udjapon Parishad, Ahmed Ikbal Haider.

At DC hill, the Chaitra Sangkranti (farewell to the year) programme would start at 3:30pm and will continue till 8:30pm, said Haider.  

The next day, the celebrations of the New Year will start at 6am with a flute recital by Ustad Azizul Islam followed by the Rabindra Sangeet “Esho Hey Boishakh Esho Esho”. As every year, this year's programme will feature raga-based classical songs, recitations and group, solo and tribal dances. Around 40 troupes will perform at the programme. 

Through Mongol Shobhajatra, the procession to observe Pohela Boishakh, Institute of Fine Arts of Chittagong University will start its day-long programme to celebrate the New Year, said the institute's director Nasima Akhter.

The programme will feature different folk sports like cockfights, breaking pots, releasing paper lanterns and a musical evening.

Students at Institute of Fine Arts of Chittagong University at Chatteshawri Road were seen busy in making structures of different dummies like tepa putul (folk doll), tigers and elephants.

“We are making around 700 masks and different replicas for Mongol Shobhajatra”, said Riyad Mahmud, a post-graduate student of the institute. 

Programmes displaying different folk cultures like indigenous dance, pala gaan and puppet shows will be held at District Shilpakala Academy premises. Troupes from the city and other parts of the country will take part at the programme.

Programmes will also be held at CRB premises and Bangladesh Mohila Samity School premises. Cultural organisation Fulki also will organise programmes for children on the occasion.