Photo : BSS

DHAKA, April 15, 2025 (BSS) – ‘Halkhata’, a 248-year old Bengali tradition of opening new ledger books for account-keeping on Pohela Boishakh, the first day of the Bengali New Year, is being observed in business town Narayanganj. 

Halkhata is a symbolic act of starting the New Year with fresh financial records.

While the tradition is fading in some areas due to modern bookkeeping practices, it remains a significant part of Bengali culture and is particularly associated with the celebrations of Pohela Boishakh.

People celebrate Chaitra Sankranti on April 13 and the Bengali New Year, Pohela Boishakh, on April 14. Especially for those who are businessmen, the significance of these two days is immense. They conclude the transactions of the outgoing year on Chaitra Sankranti.
The 'update' of the account is 'Halkhata'. For 248 years, 'Halkhata' has traditionally been a sacred ledger for businessmen of the Narayanganj area.

Visiting different areas of the city, the BSS correspondent today found that different kinds of festival are going on based on ‘Halkhata’ among businessmen in Tanbazar and hosiery village located in Nayamati and Ukilpara . 

Tanbazar, one of the largest yarn markets in the country, has thousands of yarn traders and more than two hundred dye chemical traders.

 The country's largest hosiery village located in Nayamati and Ukilpara has at least more than 2,000 companies selling and manufacturing hosiery products. 

Halkhata festival is being celebrated in more than five hundred shops selling gold ornaments located in Kalirbazar, Minabazar and Swarnapatti in the city.

The businessmen informed that they have invited their customers to come to their shops and pay their previous year’s dues. During paying their dues, businessmen are entertaining them with sweets, said the businessmen.

 Raj Roy, a businessman in the Swarnapatti area of Kalibazar, said due to various apps and online shopping, the earlier enthusiasm for ‘Halkhata’ has reduced but ‘Halkhata’ is still practiced on the auspicious day of New Year in the Narayanganj culture.