Professor Kazi Madina is not only recognised by the academic community for her knowledge and publications about our country's heritage and unique traditions, she is also known as a cultural personality and one of the most renowned recitation artistes in the country. In 2013, she received the Naren Biswas Award for her contribution towards developing recitation as a performing art in Bangladesh. When it comes to special traditions and celebrations in Bangladesh, she is definitely one to go to for information.

“The Bengali fiscal year was celebrated since before the Mughal period but wasn't as popular.  It wasn't even celebrated on the 1st of Baishakh as it was following the Hijri calendar. Instead, it was celebrated on the 1st of the Bengali month- Agrohayon (November),” says Madina. According to history, Pahela Baishakh was a celebration of the tax payers and mostly farmers as it was the last day to give taxes. But farmers found it hard to pay because the month of November was not a good time for harvest. “Mughal Emperor Akbar moved the Bengali New Year to Baishakh (April), making it convenient for the farmers,” says the professor.
It was celebrated in rural areas across Bengal; it wasn't celebrated in the cities until Rabindranth Tagore started the custom in the late 1800's. “To mark the celebration, he wrote the famous song, 'Esho hey Baishakh',” adds Madina.
“After Pakistan was born, the Bengali New Year would not be celebrated due to the government's reservations towards any Bengali cultural activities. They tried to ban the Bengali New Year as a whole by assuming it was a part of 'Indian culture', which it wasn't. In 1958, A K Fazlul Haq tried to pass a bill to make the Bangla New Year a national holiday but it was declined,” says Madina. “But in 1967, celebrating Tagore's 100 years, Chhayanautt took an initiative to celebrate Pahela Baishakh at Ramna Botomul to promote Bengali culture.” That initiative ultimately lead to the celebration continuing every year, not only in Ramna Botomul, but all across Bengal with utmost enthusiasm and zest!