Dhaka: Right after the day of celebrating Pahela Falgun with much fanfare, people get another occasion to buy flowers, this time mostly the red roses, to mark the Valentine’s Day on Wednesday.

Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14.

Originating as a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early saints named Valentinus, Valentine’s Day is now recognised as a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance in many regions around the world.

However, both markets and online business pages became busy in attracting people with alluring offers to buy special gifts or matching clothes for their loved ones, while flower markets are busy in stocking red roses for the day.

Mumu, owner of an online gift shop, told UNB that, people like to make their loved ones feel special on the Valentine’s Day – it is just another occasion to celebrate their love.

‘In our busy life, sharing love to the close and dear ones every day might not be possible,’ she said adding that, ‘Even if we love our friends and family always, every day of the year, still Valentine’s Day comes up with a special reason to express our loves with various kinds of gifts.’

Faria from Khilgaon said Valentine’s Day is a day to surprise each other for her and her husband.

‘The day brings an excitement to the relationships,’ she added.

On the other hand, Nazmul Hossain, a student of Dhaka University said, there should not be a separate day to express love. ‘Every day can be a day of love if we show our care and sincerity to the loved ones.’

‘But this day gives us a reason to make a relationship stronger by doing something special, by making the loved ones feel special’, he added.

Various programmes by many organisations all over the country have been chalked out to celebrate the day through sharing love to others- such as sharing love with street children, concerts, fairs and so on.

Keeping aside the argument whether a dedicated day to celebrate love is needed or not, or should the corporate and consumerist culture take over the day, Valentine’s Day has gradually become a part of the festivals of the country.

And people are all set to celebrate the occasion with special programmes with the ones they love and care for, because love is the thing that makes the world beautiful—be it the love for the partner, for the family, for the country or for the planet.