Writ petition filed to ban Mongol Shobhajatra

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking directives to permanently halt the Mongol Shobhajatra, held during Pohela Boishakh, citing concerns over potential harm to the faith, religious freedom, constitutional rights, and communal harmony of the country’s Muslim majority, reports media.
The writ was filed on Sunday by Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan (Mamun) in the public interest.

The respondents named in the petition include the secretaries of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Religious Affairs, and Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka, the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, and the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Speaking on the matter, the petitioner stated that the government has, at times, changed the name of the Mongol Shobhajatra in response to public sentiment, only to revert to the original name later. He said the writ was filed to seek a final resolution to the issue.

According to the petition, the Mongol Shobhajatra is not an ancient Bengali tradition but rather a relatively recent initiative that began in 1989 under the name “Ananda Shobhajatra” and was later incorporated into Pohela Boishakh celebrations.

The petition further argues that carrying large effigies of birds, fishes and animals while seeking “welfare” or “auspiciousness” is contrary to Islamic beliefs, which hold that such prayers should be directed solely to Allah.