STAFF CORRESPONDENT

A message of cultural resilience marked Chhayanaut’s announcement of its Pahela Baishakh 1433 celebrations yesterday, as the organisation reaffirmed its commitment to continue its traditional musical welcome, more popularly known as “Barshabaran” at Ramna Batamul.

A hall full of students sat in attentive silence at Chhayanaut’s cultural centre in Dhanmondi as the press conference opened with “Sedin Aar Koto Durey”, a song by Salil Chowdhury that has long carried the weight of resistance and longing.

“We want to practise culture without obstruction,” said Dr Sarwar Ali, president of Chhayanaut, about preparing this year’s programme at Ramna Batamul against a backdrop of uncertainty and recent past attacks on cultural institutions.

Referring to recent incidents, including the 2025 attacks on Chhayanaut, Udichi, and other cultural spaces and media houses, he said, “We have faced planned repression since the nation’s inception. This is not new to us. No matter what, we will keep singing because we want to sing freely. The state and society must stand aligned.”

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