Staff Reporter, Dhaka : Ignoring a temperature of minus 20 degree, the Bangladeshi expatriates in New York staged an unprecedented event to uphold the Bangali culture in USA. To celebrate the Pahela Baishak, the biggest festival of Bangli and spread the beauty of Bangali culture, more than two hundred people spontaneously participated in rehearsals of new songs, punthi readings and mass songs for Baisakh as part of the preparation. Mahitosh Talkudar Tapas conducted the rehearsal, held on February 4 and 5 in Jackson Heights.

Freezing temperatures have gripped New York for the past few days. On Saturday it dropped to minus 20. But over 200 people imbibed with patriotism gathered at the culturally-friendly Nabanna restaurant in Jackson Heights for preparing themselves for the biggest festival of the Bangali. There has been a huge response from different states of the United States, centring the 1430 Bengali New Year. Immigrants from Denver, Texas, Washington DC, New Jersey, Boston, Rhode Island, California and Philadelphia joined the event.

Biswajit Saha, president of NRB World Wide announced how this big event would be managed. He said that many people are helping in various ways to make the New Year event a success, such as volunteering, providing rehearsal space, entertainment, publicity through media and social media outlet, offering valuable advice and financial support.

“We will carry out the process through media and social media with transparency and appreciation of everyone’s contribution,” he said.

1430 Bangla Nobobarsha will be celebrated in New York on April 14 to 16. There will be various events including Barshabaraan, Mangal Shobhajatra and traditional Bengali cultural dances, processions, puppet shows, dramas. Rehearsal of Prati Puthi Path is going on. The craze is on to create new songs for Boishakh. Singer Papi Mana is rehearsing her new song Pahela Baishakh today with everyone. Edited by Nurul Baten, Boishakh 1430 commemorative book will be published.

NRB World Wide is organizing this Boishakhi festival in collaboration with active progressive literary cultural and social organizations in New York. Music teacher Kaveri Das, actress Lutfun Nahar Lata, culture mind doctor Utpal Chowdhury, president of Downtown Manhattan Business Association Tariqul Islam Badal and general secretary Riazul Quader Laskar Mithu and young businessman Helal Miah spoke at the event anchored by the organization’s general secretary Tofazzal Liton.

Gaibandha Samiti US Finance Secretary Dilip Kumar Modak, Chittagong University Alumni Association President Bishnu Gop, Shilpakala Academy US President Monika Roy Chowdhury, Prajanma Ekater President Shibli Sadik, Yakub Ali Mithu, Shitesh Dhar, Kaniz Fatema Shaon, Soumyabrat Dasgupta and Tanveer Kaiser were present on the stage.