Dhaka University renamed Mangal Shobhajatra to Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra, returning to its original 1989 title. The change raises questions about cultural identity, symbolism, and UNESCO heritage status, though the festive spirit of Pahela Baishakh remains unchanged.

The “Bangalee way” in the sense of a single, linear way is a myth at best, and nationalist propaganda at worst.