Dhaka: Janmashtami, a significant religious festival for the Hindu community that commemorates the birth of Lord Sri Krishna, is set to be celebrated across Bangladesh tomorrow with religious fervour and gaiety.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Sri Krishna’s birth is marked on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the Bangla month of Bhadra, as per Hindu mythology. It is believed that he incarnates in every age to protect the virtuous from the wicked and uphold truth, justice, and beauty in society. The festival is observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Shraban or Bhadra.
Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus has extended greetings to the Hindu community on the occasion of Janmashtami. The day is recognized as a public holiday in Bangladesh, allowing citizens to participate in the celebrations. Temples, religious organisations, and various institutions have outlined extensive programmes to mark the occasion. National dailies will feature special articles, while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, and private TV and radio stations will broadcast programmes that highlight the life and philosophy of Lord Sri Krishna.
The Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee has organized a central programme at the Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka. Events include a Geeta Joggo at 8 am at the temple, conducted by Shankar Math and Mission from Sitakunda, Chattogram. A Janmashtami procession will commence at 3 pm from the city’s Palashi intersection.
The procession will be inaugurated by Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman and will also be attended by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, and Bangladesh Army 9th Infantry Division GOC Major General Md Moin Khan, among others. The parade will pass through key locations including Jagannath Hall, Shaheed Minar, and High Court intersection, concluding at Bahadur Shah Park.
On August 19, a discussion about Janmashtami will be held at the Dhakeshwari National Temple, with Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar attending as the chief guest. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has also arranged a four-day programme at Swamibagh Asram in the capital, featuring recitations from Srimad Bhagavad Geeta, devotional songs, vog arati, mahaprashad distribution, discussions, and cultural functions. Temples nationwide will partake in the festival through various programmes.