The Bengalis at home and abroad celebrated Pahela Baishakh (Monday) amid funfair, festivity and gaiety to hail the Bengali New Year with a renewed hope for a better luck, reports UNB.

Mughal Emperor Akbar introduced the Bengali calendar year and the celebration of Pahela Baishakh began during his rule. Now it has become an integral part of Bengali cultural heritage and tradition and turned into a day of joyous celebrations.

Traders and shopkeepers open ''Halkhata (new book of accounts)'' and entertain customers and visitors with sweets on the first day of the New Year as part of the tradition.

The day is a public holiday. On every return of Pahela Baishak, thousands of people irrespective of caste or creed and age throng traditional venues in different parts of the capital city, including Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, Central Shaheed Minar, Dhaka University, Shahbag, and Dhanmondi Lake areas, to welcome the new year amid pageantry.

The most colourful celebration of the Bangla New Year begins at the Ramna Batamul at dawn with an elaborate programme undertaken by Chhayanaut, a leading cultural troupe. Artistes from Chhayanaut will welcome the day with Tagore''s famous song ''Esho hey Baishakh, esho, esho (come O Baishakh, come)'' under the banyan tree at the Ramna Park.

Students of the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University, wearing colourful masks, took out a ''mangal shobhajatra (procession of good wishes)" in the morning as part of the carnival. People from all walks of life assembled at Ramna Park, the prime venue of the festival, from early in the morning.

Men, wearing panjabi-pyjama, women, attired in sari with red borders, and children in colourful dresses all thronged traditional Baishakhi Mela (fair) and other cultural functions in the city and elsewhere in the country. People partook of ''Panta Bhat (watery rice)'' with fried hilsha, lentils, green chili and onions at home, restaurants and fairs following the rich tradition of Bengali culture.

Though the observance of Pahela Baishakh has become popular in the cities, but New Year festivities are closely linked with rural life in the country. People in the villages bathed early in the morning and, clad in fine clothes, went to visit relatives, friends and neighbours. They will also visit different Baishakhi fairs arranged in many parts of the country. The Bengali-speaking people of West Bengal also celebrated the day in a festive manner.

President Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Advisor Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed gave separate messages on the occasion conveying New Year''s greetings to the countrymen and all Bengali-speaking people across the globe. Referring to the language, culture, literature, agriculture and economic activities that are deeply connected with the Bengali year, President Iajuddin said, "Pahela Baishakh is a unique day of nurturing our everlasting tradition and self-realization."

He hoped that the New Year would "enrich all with welfare-oriented thinking" through forgetting all the previous conflicts and also bring joyous message for all. In a separate message, Chief Advisor Fakhruddin said the New Year is an integral part of Bengali culture, tradition and livelihood from time immemorial.

Mentioning that Pahela Baishakh brings reawakening and new impetus in the life of Bangalees, he said, "Today is the day to embrace the new leaving behind the worn-out past, failings and ignominies."

He also urged all, at the auspicious moment of the new year, to contribute from their own positions, irrespective of religion, caste, party and opinion, towards establishing welfare-oriented democracy and enlightened just society for the welfare of the people. State-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar and the private TV channels aired special programmes on the occasion.

Different socio-cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the day. Bangla Academy, Shilpakala Academy and Nazrul Institute will organise separate cultural programmes to welcome the Bengali New Year 1415.

The Libertarian War Museum will stage various programmes that include dance, ''puthi-path'' and folk songs at 10 am on the day. The Baishakh Udjapan Jatiya Parishad will also bring out a procession from the Central Shaheed Minar marking Pahela Baishakh. Extensive security measures had been taken in the city and across the country to ensure peaceful celebration of the day.

Strong contingents of 12,235 members of law-enforcing agencies will be deployed across the country In Dhaka City, 6,094 law-enforcers were on the alert to fend off any unpleasant incident at venues of celebrations.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) declared off-limit to all vehicles roads stretching from Matshya Bhaban to Shahbagh and Doel Chattar to TSC of the Dhaka University. A total of 24 CCTV cameras would be set up across the capital.

Members of the law-enforcing agencies distributed drinking water among people at Ramna Park during the programme and Fire Brigade and Ambulance will also be in place. Security measures were also taken at the cinema halls and diplomatic zone The law-enforcers, both in uniform and plainclothes, including paramilitary BDR, Special Branch and Detective Branch of Police, kept close eye on movements of people, particularly to ''Ramna Batamul'', the heartland of the Pahela Baishakh carnival, said a senior police official.