BHESA's Bengali New Year Celebration in Edmonton

The Bangladesh Heritage and Ethnic Society of Alberta (BHESA) has celebrated the Bengali New Year in Edmonton, Canada on April 25, 2015. The colourful gala was held at the Pleasantview Community Hall, where the Bangladeshi community and anyone interested had the opportunity to enjoy Bengali culture with ethnic foods, music, dance and more.

Group music performance on Bengali New Year

The Bengali New Year celebration takes place in mid-April and typically marks the start of spring for us here in North America. In Bangladesh and West Bengal the celebration is known as the Pohela Baishakh, whereas throughout the world it is called Boishakhi Mela, originating from the famous celebration in London, England which is organized on a yearly base by the local Bengali community there.

The Bengali community celebrates this day with great enthusiasm, and the New Year Celebration is an important part of the cultural heritage of Bangladesh. The festival is also used as a hub for new and professional artists to showcase their music and dance performances.

BHESA's Boishakhi Mela program was inaugurated by eminent journalist and freedom fighter Delwar Jahid, president of BHESA. Delwar Jahid underlined the importance of the festival and celebrations as an integral part of Bangladeshi culture and as a landmark event for the Bengali community. The day of the Bengali New Year with its celebration of traditions and culture is the occurring beginning of a new chapter in life, and is bringing a new vision for the future on the canvas of a historic background.

Guest of Honor Hon. Sohail Quadri, the MLA for Edmonton-Mill Woods, greeted the community and praised its role as an inspiring example for the Bengali communities in Alberta. Candidate of the PC Party for Edmonton-Ellerslie Harman Singh Kandola also spoke on the occasion and greeted the community "Shuvo Noboborsho", a Happy New Year.

BHESA's Ekushey Heritage Award 2015

During the program BHESA recognized the achievements of the recipients of the Ekushey Heritage Award 2015. The award was given to Kausar Khondokar (MacEwan University), Ali Noor-e-Alam (Bangla Bazar), Mohd. Zakaria (Former Executive of BHESA), and Dr. Moshfiqur Rahman (Former Executive of BHESA). All recipients were awarded for their excellent service to the community. President Delwar Jahid also introduced the recipients of the Ekushey Youth Awards 2015, Ahsan Ullah and Sheikh Jalil, which is annually awarded by the Mahinur Jahid Memorial Foundation (MJMF), the youth organization of the Bengali community here in Edmonton. Tajul Ali (Former President of BHESA) closed this part of the program with a speech to the community.

Back in 2014 the recipients of the Ekushey Heritage Award were R. Mohammad Siddique Hossain (Language Movement Participant), Prof. Dr. Mohd. Nurul Islam (Founder of Edmonton Bangla School), Dr. M. Hafizur Rahman (Former President of BCAE), Tajul Ali (Former President of BHESA), Shahid Hassan (Founder of BHESA), and Mohammad Ismail (Former Vice-President of BHESA).

Bengali folk music by Bikash Talukder & Friends

The colourful cutural program included a poetry reading by Sheikh Jalil, multiple group dance performances by Saam Center of Edmonton, dance perfomances by local artist Anoshka, Comedian Muhammad Ismail, a group music performance with Chameli Lashkar, Seoti Chowdhury, Rodhasi Chowdhury, Nafisa Mirza, Mirza Nabid, Iltiphat Naheyan, Ilatija Naheyan, Alfy Sahahreena, and Ahnaf Rahman, Bengali folk music by Bikash Talukder's band with Nirjur on vocals and harmonium, and Bangladeshi songs performed by local artist Chameli and famous singer Jania Naz. The excellent sound of the evening was provided by Muntasir and Adil from Sound Waves Event of Edmonton.

Yummy traditional food was provided by Md. Ismail (former Vice President), Dr. Hafezur Rahman (Advisor of BHESA), Tazul Ali (former President), Bikash Talukder, Masud Bhuiyan (General Secretary), Syfur Hasan (Joint Editor for Edmonton Bichitra), Nurul Huda (Treasurer), Moorsheda Begum Ismail (former Member of Cultural Affairs), Lutfunnessa Jahid, Ishrat Jahan (former Member of Communication Affairs) and Golsan Jabin, Tomal Islam (former Vice President), Dollin Islam (Member of Cultural Affairs), and Shafiqul Islam.

BPCA (Bangladesh PressClub Centre of Alberta) and MJMF (Mahinur Jahid Memorial Foundation) distributed gifts to all the children present at the event.

The decorations and stage management was organized by the anchor of the program, Anamur Rahman (Joint General Secretary), and Basir Mirza. The Bangla Bazaar of Edmonton held a raffle draw at the event, where five lucky winners received a gift certificate.

Women wearing traditional sharees

The event was well received, and many visitors wore traditional clothes like colorful sharees for women and punjabis for men.

Dance performance by local artist Anoshka