Dhaka: Chhayanaut, a leading cultural organisation of the country, has celebrated Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla New Year, for 50th time this year.

It welcomed the new Bangla year 1424 amid great enthusiasm and festivity on Friday. The event took place under the banyan tree in Ramna Park in the capital.

The programme began with the tune of the Sarod, a musical instrument, by guest Rajrupa Chowdhury.

The singers from the institution sang the song 'Aloker Ai Jhorna Dharay Duye Dao' written by Rabindranath Tagore at the beginning of the event.

The song, which was sung 50 years ago, is now an integral part of the Pahela Baishakh celebrations.

People from all walks of life joined the programme from the dawn while men wearing Panjabi-pyjama, women attired in the saris with red borders and children in colourful dresses all thronged traditional cultural function.

A total of 160 artistes participated in the programme while singers, teachers and students of the organisation presented 10 chorus songs and 14 solo songs.

They presented Panchakabi's songs along with 'takdum takdum baje', 'ore bishom doriyar dheu' and other folk songs while the first part of the programme ended with the famous 'tora shob joyodhoni kor', a famous song of Rabindranath Tagor .

The 2nd part began at 8:30am with palagaan styled 'Diwana and Madina' by Dilu Boyati and his troupe.

Chhayanaut president Sanjida Khatun presented her speech after the national anthem was played.

"Bigots and religion traders buy poor people with money. We have no money to buy people but we have pure mind and culture. We'll attract people with these," said Sanjida.

Chhayanaut has chalked out a month-long programme in three phases to mark celebrations of Pahela Baishakh for a half century.

A photo exhibition on Chhayanaut's journey, starting from 1967 to 2016, was held on from March 31 at the Chhayanaut Bhaban covering the rise of Bangalee nationalism in the 1960s to the very recent stand against militancy.

A souvenir and a calendar were published on April 7 while a seminar was also held on that day where Mofidul Huq read the key article.

The organisers remembered the victims of the attack on its attack in 2001 with lightning the lamps and discussions and songs were held on April 13.