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Al Jazeera

Politics

Why Bangladesh’s renamed New Year parade set off a controversy

Bangladesh AL Mahmudul Hasan Sheikh Hasina New Year Dhaka University Munir uz zaman BNP Mostofa Sarwar Farooki Dhaka

The organisers have defended the renaming of the vibrant parade recognised by UNESCO in 2016 as an intangible cultural heritage [File: Munir Uz Zaman/AFP]

Dhaka, Bangladesh – On Monday, Bangladesh marked its first Bengali New Year, also known as Pahela Baishakh, since a student-led uprising ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year.

But the renaming of an iconic parade, which has been held on the occasion for decades, has led to a debate online and offline, highlighting a political and cultural division within the South Asian nation.

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