Ctg set to welcome Pahela Baishakh

The city and its adjacent areas assume festive look on the eve of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali calendar.
Scores of socio-cultural, literary organizations, educational institutions have chalked out elaborate programmes to farewell the old outgoing year and welcome new Year.
At dawn thousands of jubilant people irrespective of caste, creed, colour, religion and age, wearing traditional dresses will flock to city’s DC Hill park, CRB building and other historical places, cynosure of festivity.
The celebrators will invoke the New Year with Tagor’s song “Esho Hey Baishakh Esho Esho”.
Sammilita Pahela Baishakh Udjapan Parishad will begin its 2-day long programme bringing out a mammoth colourful procession carrying festoons, placards, banners and effigies of various living creatures this evening.
The 2-day long district Administration’s cultural programme began at Shilpakala Academy premises.
A day- long programme of Chittagong University will kick off at its play ground tomorrow morning.
Folk cultural programme including kabadi, bullfight, cockfight, puppet show, snake charming, kite flying are the highlights of Pahela Baishakh celebration.
The fashion houses in the city and adjacent areas have become very busy selling Baisakhi dresses.
Chittagong Press Club, Government Fine Arts College, Borsho Biday O Borsho Sommilon Parishad, East Delta University, Global Scholar School and College, Shahitya Parishad and Government City College are among the organizations and institutions preparing for the celebration.
The function venues in the city have been covered with foolproof security, police source said. Nearly 4000 law enforcers including RAB, plain clothed intelligence will be deployed at 42 points in the city.
Besides, extra vigilance will be enforced to avert any kind of terrorist acts.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police source said, they would deploy 2250 police personnel at 92 points and set up 32 check posts at different places in the metropolis.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has already taken position at the central function venue DC Hill, the source added.
Besides, different tourist spots and amusement parks including Foy’s Lake, Swadhinata Park, Patenga Sea beach, Parky Sea Beach and Sitakunda Eco Park will be brought under security net. In the city, the function venues have been decorated with spectacular motifs depicting rural images of Bangladesh and food courts offering buffet dinners with traditional dishes of the country to attract visitors.