This is a list of

festivals A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival co ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

. Bangladesh is a country of colourful celebrations. The people celebrate their faith, life, liberty, nature, elation, and achievements round the year through a wide variety of fairs and festivals, organized with enthusiasm and intricate details. Some Bengali fairs and festivals have a recorded history of over 2000 years. Festivals in Bangladesh fall into four major categories: religious festivals, national events, cultural festivals and tribal festivals. Although a few festivals are primarily meant for particular sections of the population, all the festivals have now attained universal reach throughout the country.

Religious observance

Eid Prayers at Barashalghar, Debidwar, Comilla

Muslim

Eid ul-Fitr , nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast , observedby = Muslims , type = Islamic , longtype = Islamic , significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan , dat ...

- on the 1st day of

Shawwal Shawwal ( ar, شَوَّال, ') is the tenth month of the lunar based Islamic calendar. ''Shawwāl'' stems from the verb ''shāla'' () which means to 'lift or carry', generally to take or move things from one place to another, Fasting during S ...

month of the lunar

Islamic calendar The Hijri calendar ( ar, ٱلتَّقْوِيم ٱلْهِجْرِيّ, translit=al-taqwīm al-hijrī), also known in English as the Muslim calendar and Islamic calendar, is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or ...

. *

Eid ul-Adha Eid al-Adha () is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah's comm ...

- on the 10th day of

Dhu al-Hijjah Dhu al-Hijja ( ar, ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة, translit=Ḏū al-Ḥijja, ), also spelled Zu al-Hijja, is the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar. It is a very sacred month in the Islamic calendar, one in which the ''Hajj, Ḥajj'' (P ...

month of the

. *

Chaand Raat ''Chaand Raat'' (, , ur, , lit=Night of the moon) is a South Asia location, used for the eve of the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr; it can also mean a night with a new moon for the new Islamic month Shawwal. Chaand Raat is a time of celebratio ...

- on the 29th or 30th night of

Ramadan , type = islam , longtype = Religious , image = Ramadan montage.jpg , caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...

month of the

. *

Ashura Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Among Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed through large demonstrations of high-scale mourning as it marks the ...

- on the 10th day of

Muharram Muḥarram ( ar, ٱلْمُحَرَّم) (fully known as Muharram ul Haram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is forbidden. It is held to be the second holiest month after R ...

in the

. * Eid-e-Meeladun Nabi – The Birth of the

Prophet Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...

* Shab-e-Qadr * Shab-e-Baraat *

Bishwa Ijtema The Bishwa Ijtema ( bn, বিশ্ব ইজতেমা , meaning Global Congregation) is an annual gathering of Muslims in Tongi, by the banks of the River Turag, in the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is one of the largest peaceful gat ...

Hindu

Durga Puja Durga Puja ( bn, দুর্গা পূজা), also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga and is also celebrated ...

- from the 2nd to the 7th day of Kartik month of the

Bengali calendar The Bengali Calendar or Bangla Calendar ( bn, বঙ্গাব্দ , , Baṅgābda), colloquially ( bn, বাংলা সন, Baṅgla Śon), is a solar calendar used in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. A revised version of t ...

. *

Krishna Janmashtami Krishna Janmashtami , also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, it is observed ...

- celebration of the birth of

Lord Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one of ...

* Dolyatra *

Ratha Yatra Ratha Yatra (), or Chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. The term particularly refers to the annual Ratha Yatra in Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and other East Indian states, particularly the Odia festival that involve a ...

, the most popular being

Dhamrai Rathayatra Dhamrai Jagannath Roth ( bn, ধামরাই জগন্নাথ রথ) is a chariot temple, a Roth, dedicated to the Hindu God Jagannath located in Dhamrai, Bangladesh. The annual Jagannath Roth Jatra is a famous Hindu festival attracting ...

. *

Kali Puja Kali Puja, also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival originating from the Indian subcontinent, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. It is celebrated on the new moon day (Dipannita Amavasya) of the Hindu calendar month of Ashway ...

Saraswati Puja Vasant Panchami, also called Saraswati Puja in honor of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. The festival is celebrated in Indian religions in different ways depending on the region. ...

* Ashtami Snan on Chaitra Shukla Paksha Ashtami (ninth day during the waxing phase of moon in Chaitra Month) as per Hindu Lunar Calendar

Buddhist

Buddha Purnima Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Prince ...

- Buddha's Birthday *

Madhu Purnima Modhu Purnima ( bn, মধু পূর্ণিমা, lit=honey full-moon) also known as Honey Full Moon Festival or Honey-offering Festival is a Buddhist festival celebrated in Bangladesh by the Barua and Chakma people of Chittagong and by th ...

* Kathin Chibardan - offering of woven robe made of cotton to monks and nuns.

Christian

* Boro Din or Christmas - on 25 December of the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

. *

Easter Sunday Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the ''Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...

Patriotic and National Observances

Language Movement Day (''Bhasha Andolôn Dibôs'') , nickname = bn, শহীদ দিবস (''Shôhid Dibôs'') , duration = 1 day , frequency = Annual , observedby = Bangladesh and Bengali speakers in India and elsewhere , date = 21 Feb ...

- (

International Mother Language Day International Mother Language Day is a worldwide annual observance held on 21 February to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism. First announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999, it was formally r ...

); Colours worn: * Genocide Remembrance Day *

National day of mourning A national day of mourning is a day or days marked by mourning and memorial activities observed among the majority of a country's populace. They are designated by the national government. Such days include those marking the death or funeral of ...

(15 August) *

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...

; Colours worn: *

Armed Forces Day Many nations around the world observe some kind of Armed Forces Day to honor their military forces. This day is not to be confused with Veterans Day or Memorial Day. Africa Egypt In Egypt, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 6 October, ...

Martyred Intellectuals Day Martyred Intellectuals Day ( bn, শহীদ বুদ্ধিজীবী দিবস, Shaheed Buddhijibi Dibôsh) is observed on 14 December in Bangladesh to commemorate those intellectuals who were killed by Pakistani forces and their coll ...

Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...

; Colours worn:

Cultural festivals

Bangladeshi girls taking Selfie at Pohela Falgun

General

* Rokeya Day *

Rabindra Jayanti Rabindra Jayanti (রবীন্দ্র জয়ন্তী) is an annually celebrated cultural festival, prevalent among Tagorephiles (people who love Tagore and his works) around the world, in the remembrance of Rabindranath Tagore's birth ...

Nazrul Jayanti Nazrul Jayanti ( bn, নজরুল জয়ন্তী) is the birthday of Kazi Nazrul Islam the national poet of Bangladesh on 24 May. The day is organized and celebrated by various schools, colleges & universities of Bengal Bengal ( ...

Music

* Dhaka World Music Festival (music) *

Bengal Classical Music Festival The Bengal-ITC SRA Classical Music Festival is a major South Asian classical music festival held in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the ...

*International Folk Festival

Folk

Pahela Baishakh Pohela Boishakh ( bn, পহেলা বৈশাখ) is the first day of the Bengali calendar which is also the official calendar of Bangladesh. This festival is celebrated on 14 April in Bangladesh and 15 April in the Indian states of W ...

- on the 1st day of the

and summer festival; also called Bangla Noboborsho; Colours worn: * Boshonto Utshob - Spring festival also known as Pohela Falgun; Colours worn: *

Nabanna ''Nobanno'' ( bn, নবান্ন, Nobānno; lit: New Feast) is a Bengali harvest celebration usually celebrated with food and dance and music in Bangladesh and in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley. It is a ...

- Winter and harvest festival; Colours worn: * Borsha Utshob - Monsoon festival; Colours worn: *

Nouka Baich Nouka Baich ( bn, নৌকা বাইচ, lit. ''Boat Race'', also spelt ''Nowka Bais'') is a traditional dragon boat-style paddling sport of Bangladesh. The ''Bangladesh Rowing Federation'', established in 1974, is the authority of all rowing ...

- Boat racing festivals held after the monsoon when rivers are filled

Others

Bengal Original Culture Festival Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

* Cinemaking International Film Festival *

Dhaka Festival Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...

Dhaka Art Summit Dhaka Art Summit is an art summit held in Dhaka, Bangladesh and is organised by Samdani Art Foundation, a non- profit art infrastructure development organisation founded by Nadia Samdani. and Rajeeb Samdani in 2011. About The summit displays ...

* Hay Festival Dhaka *

Dhaka Fashion Week Dhaka Fashion Week is an annual fashion parade event held in Dhaka History Dhaka Fashion Week (DFW), has become one of the most talked about event of the capital city these days, and is drawing lot of attention from fashionistas. It has helped t ...

Dhaka International Film Festival Dhaka International Film Festival ( bn, ঢাকা আন্তর্জাতিক চলচ্চিত্র উৎসব) is a biennial film festival held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1992, the festival was initially organized on a ...

Chobi Mela International Photography Festival Chobi Mela (Film Fair) is a biennial international festival of photography held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the first and also the largest festival of photography held in Asia. Description The outreach program consisted of mobile exhibitions A ...

CRACK International Art Camp CRACK International Art Camp (CIAC) is a multi-disciplinary art camp arranged every year over several days in Smaran Matshya Beej Khamar, a fish seed farm in Rahimpur, Kushtia, Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Repu ...

International Children's Film Festival Bangladesh International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

Bioscope Children's Photography Festival Bioscope may refer to: * An early generic name for a movie camera * Various specific models of movie camera and movie projector ** The Urban Bioscope or Warwick Bioscope, camera and projector ** Emil and Max Skladanowsky's Bioscop * A bioscope show ...

Fairs

Ekushey Book Fair The Ekushey Book Fair ( bn, একুশে বই মেলা, Ekuśe Bôi Mela), officially called Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela ( bn, অমর একুশে গ্রন্থ মেলা, lit='Immortal Book Fair of the Twenty-first f February ...

- in Dhaka on the month of February of the Gregorian calendar. *

Dhaka International Trade Fair Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) ( bn, ঢাকা আন্তর্জাতিক বাণিজ্য মেলা) is an international trade fair in Bangladesh. It is organized by the Export Promotion Bureau together with the Minist ...

* National Tree Fair - Month-long National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair. * National Fisheries Week and Fish Fair - Week-long National Fiash Trade and Fair.

Local events

Shakrain ''Shakrain Festival'' ( bn, সাকরাইন; also known as Kite festival and ''Ghuri Utsob'') is an annual celebration in Dhaka, Bangladesh, observed with the flying of kites. It occurs at the end of Poush, the ninth month of the Bengali c ...

- in Dhaka at the end of the

Poush Poush ( bn, পৌষ; ne, पौष) is the 9th month of both the Bengali calendar and the Nepali calendar. It overlaps December and January of the Gregorian calendar. It is the first month of the winter season. This month marks the start of Wi ...

of the Bengali calendar. * Jatiya Pitha Utsab - National

Pitha Pithas are a variety of food similar to pancakes, dumplings or fritters, originating from the Indian subcontinent, common in Bangladesh and India. Pitha can be sweet or savoury, and usually made from a dough or batter, which is then steamed, fri ...

(Cake) Festival. *

Joy Bangla Concert Young Bangla is a special initiative launched by Bangladeshi Government in 2014. The Young Bangla Programme comprises several schemes, acting as a flexible space for the youth, involving thousands of individuals and youth-led organizations, ...

- annual concert to mark the 7 March Speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. *

* Bisu Mela

Public holidays

Public holidays in Bangladesh Bangladesh has numerous public holidays, including national memorial, religious and secular holidays of Bengali origin. The Bengali traditional calendar, known as Banggabda is the national and official calendar in Bangladesh. The holidays are ...

References

{{Asia topic, List of festivals in

Festivals A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival co ...