The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and the capital Dhaka are abuzz with excitement as the colourful three-day celebration of Chaitra Sankranti and the Baisabi Festival begins today. With vibrant cultural expressions, traditional games, water festivals, and folk performances, communities from across the hills are joining hands to mark the arrival of the New Year symbolizing communal harmony, love, and the spirit of unity in diversity.
Organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, festivities are being held simultaneously in the hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban as well as in the capital. Ramna Park in Dhaka will see a major highlight of the celebration today with the traditional floating of flowers on the lake—an event that draws people from all walks of life, including allies of the anti-discrimination and peace movements.
Baisabi: A Tapestry of Ethnic Celebrations
The term “Baisabi” is a symbolic blend of three traditional festivals: Bijhu (Chakma), Sangrai (Marma), and Baisu (Tripura). Together, these represent the deep-rooted cultural ties of the indigenous peoples of the CHT with broader Southeast Asian Buddhist traditions—particularly Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, where the Songkran New Year is celebrated around the same time.
The diversity of this region becomes vivid through the local names of the New Year festivals—Biju, Baisoo, Sangrai, Vishu, Changkran, and Bihu. Each ethnic group brings a unique flavour to the celebration, yet all are bound by a common thread of renewal, reverence, and festivity.
Three Days of Tradition, Food, and Fellowship
On April 12, the Chakma community observes Phulbijhu, beginning the day with the collection of flowers by children, followed by rituals and decorating homes. The Mool Biju on April 13 sees households preparing rich traditional dishes like pachan (vegetable stew), pulao, and payesh, as elders are honored with baths and blessings. April 14, Gojje Pojje Din, is marked as a day of rest and renewal.
The Tripura community's three-day Baisoo celebration includes prayer rituals, home decorations, cooking of panjan (a stew with up to 30 vegetables), and the spirited Hari Baisoo flower festival. Meanwhile, the Marma people’s Sangrai involves the vibrant Jalkeli or water-splashing festivities to cleanse the soul and foster joy.
In Bandarban, the Tanchangya community kicks off their Vishu with the traditional Ghila game and Ganga Devi worship. The Mro community, known for its colorful Changkran festival, adds flair with bamboo games, traditional flute music, and oil-coated bamboo climbing competitions.
Cultural performances, folk dances, musical instrument playing, and Pitha festivals are being held across the CHT, with the vibrant sounds and colors bringing communities together.
A Festival of Communal Harmony
Beyond the festive mood, Baisabi stands as a living testament to communal harmony in Bangladesh. Eleven small ethnic groups, speaking ten different tribal languages, are celebrating together—sharing food, joy, and prayers for peace. This cultural unity sends a powerful message of inclusion, tolerance, and mutual respect in a time when ethnic harmony is more important than ever.
“Baisabi is more than a festival. It is an expression of who we are—as individuals and as a society that thrives on diversity,” said a cultural coordinator from the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs.
The lighting of Mangal Pradeep (auspicious lamps) in monasteries, prayers for national wellbeing, and public processions in traditional attire all reinforce the spiritual and social unity the festival promotes.
As the hills echo with laughter, songs, and splashes of water, the message is clear: the Chaitra Sankranti and Baisabi Festival is a shared celebration of life, heritage, and harmony—a moment when the past, present, and future come together in a dance of joy.
BOB Post
