"Baishakhi Celebration 1432 and Food Festival" at the Bangladesh National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (NHTTI) in the capital’s Mohakhali today. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, April 14, 2025 (BSS) – The government is keen to promote Pahela Baishakh, the Bengali New Year, into a major attraction for tourism, highlighting the unique festive spirit of Bangladesh to the world.
 
“Bangladeshi people are inherently festive in nature. The way Pahela Baishakh is celebrated across the country with such enthusiasm and joy is truly exceptional and rare globally,” said Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Nasreen Jahan.
 
The secretary made the remarks while inaugurating the "Baishakhi Celebration 1432 and Food Festival" at the Bangladesh National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (NHTTI) in the capital’s Mohakhali today.
 
As part of the celebration, 250 varieties of traditional Bangladeshi food items were showcased and served at 15 food stalls.
 
Jahan emphasized the need for spreading the message of Pahela Baishakh celebrations across the globe and called for turning the occasion into a symbol of harmony, unity, and heartfelt exchange of greetings, breaking all barriers of division and isolation among people.
 
Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) Saeyema Shahin Sultana presided over the event.
 
Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh Tourism Board Abu Taher Mohammad Jaber, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Abdun Naser Khan, and Anisur Rahman, among others, were present.
 
The festival also featured cultural performances including music, dance, and a fashion show on the event stage.